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An  Historical  Dif^ course 
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( Dut  ch )  Chur  ch , 
Port  Jervis, 
1875 


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THE  CLASSIS  OF  ORANGE. 


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Read  before  the  Classis  at  its  Meeting  in  the 


Si  (Sff  61)81111 


I»OFtX    JEFtVIS, 


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Bl¥,  E.  W.  BIMTLIY, 


PASTOR  OF  THE 


REFOHMED  (DUTCH)  CHURCH, 


lS,l^T^^LNMTl^Ju.E.. 


ELLENVILLE,  N.  Y.: 

JAMES  O.  FISHER,  STEAM  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTER. 

1875. 


THE  CLASSIS  OF  ORAHGE.' 


^tffe^ 


Read  before  the  Classis  at  its  Meeting  in  the 


>_  >_..♦„  ±,  *    ^,^^-.-*—      -* .♦ *. 


(Itlli)  iitiii 


PORT    JSRVIS. 


PASTOR  OF  THE 


REFORMED  (DUTCH)  CHURCH, 


:e:ImJ^is:nwl^j^ie. 


ELLENVILLE,  N.  Y.: 

JAMES  O.  FISHER,  STEAM  BOOK  AND  JOB  PRINTER. 
1875. 


At  the  Regular  Fall  Session  of  the  Classis  of  Orange,  held 
at  Montgomery,  October  20th  and  21st,  187 J{.,  the  following 
Resolution  was  adopted  : 

Resolved  :  That  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley  he,  and  hereby  is,  re- 
quested to  prepare  and  deliver  at  the  next  regular  ineeting  of 
Classis,  a  Discourse  on  the  history  and  ecclesiastical  work  of 
the  Classis  of  Orange. 

And  at  the  Regular  Spring  Meeting  of  the  Classis,  held  at 
Port  Jervis,  April  20th  and  21st,  1875,  the  following  Resolu- 
tions were  adopted : 

Resolved :  That  the  thanks  of  Classis  be  tendered  to  Rev. 
E.  W.  Bentley  for  his  Discourse.  ^. 

Resolved :  That  the  Elders  John  G.  Gray  and  John  Lyon 
be  appointed  a  Committee  to  confer  luith  Mr.  Bentley,  and  at- 
tend to  the  publishing  of  his  Discourse. 


^ms  m\  f  i^a«i^ 


This,  now  the  largest  of  the  Classes  of  the  Reformed 
(Dutch)  church,  is  an  offshoot  from  the  old  Classis  of  Ulster. 
That  Classis  itself  grew  out  of  a  division  of  the  still  older 
Classis  of  Kingston  ordered  by  General  Synod  at  its  session  in 
Albany  in  June,  1800,  in  the  following  terms  : 

"  Resolved  :  That  the  Classis  of  Kingston  be  divided  into 
two  separate  Classes  to  be  known  and  distinguished  by  the 
names  of  the  Classis  of  Poughkeepsie  and  the  Classis  of  Ulster, 
and  that  the  churches  included  within  the  bounds  of  the  pro- 
posed Classis  of  Ulster  do  meet  by  their  delegates  on  the  2nd 
day  of  September,  1800,  and  that  the  Rev.  Stephen  Goetschius 
preach  on  the  occasion,  and  organize  the  Classis."  The  Min- 
isters and  Elders  accordingly  assembled  at  the  time  appointed 
at  Marbletown,  and  Mr.  G.  preached  from  Isa.,  26  :  2.  "  Open 
ye  the  gates,  that  the  righteous  nation  which  keepeth  the 
truth  ma}'  enter  in." 

The  resolution  of  Syn(xl  did  not  specify  the  churches  that 
were  to  constitute  the  new  organization,  but  the  roll  of  Clas- 
sis on  this  occasion  is  as  follows  : 

SHAWANGUNK,  )  Rev.  Moses  Freleigh, 
MONTGOMERY,    jAllard  Anthony,  Elder. 
I  Rev.  John  H.  Meier, 
f  Christian  Deyo,  Elder. 
)  Rev.  Peter  Labaugh, 
j  John  Souser,  Elder. 
I  Rev.  Gerritt  Mandoville, 
j  Elder's  name  illegible. 
)  Rev.  Stephen  Goetschius, 
j  Abr'm  Cantine,  Elder. 
SAUGERTIES,      ^  (Caatsban)  Absent, 
ASHOKAN,  j  do. 


NEW  PALTZ, 
NEW  HURLEY, 
CATSKILL, 
OAK  HILL, 
ROCHESTER, 
WAWARSING, 

MARBLETOWN, 


It  will  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  the  Chassis  covered  a  region 
of  magnificent  elistances.  Seventy-five  years  ago  population 
was  sparse,  and  centers  were  far  apart.  Hence  the  churches 
were  scattered,  and  in  most  cases  small  and  weak.  Even 
those  which  united  in  the  support  of  a  pastor  were  in  many 
instances  so  far  asunder  that  they  could  enjoy  services  only 
upon  alternate  Sabhaths.  The  eleven  churches  which  consti- 
tuted the  original  Classis  uf  Ulster  occupied  a  territory  stretch- 
ing from  Montgomery  on  the  South  to  Oatskill  on  the  North, 
and  from  the  Sliandaken  Mountains  on  the  West  to  the  Hud- 
son River  on  the  East.  But  the  increase  of  population,  and 
the  law  of  growth  enforced  by  the  great  head  of  the  church, 
in  a  third  of  a  century  had  just  doubled  the  number  of  the 
churches  in  this  region.  When  the  Classis  of  Orange  was 
formed  in  1833,  the  mother  Classis  contained  twenty-two 
churches,  viz  :  Ashokan,  Berea,  Bloomingburgh,  Blooming- 
dale,  Dashville,  Esopus,  Fallsburgh,  FUatbush,  Hurley, 
Kingston,  Mamakating,  Marbletown,  Montgomery,  New  Hur- 
ley, New  Prospect,  Clove,  Rochester,  Saugerties,  Shawangunk, 
Wawarsing  and  Wot)dstock.  Meantime,  also  of  the  original 
number,  Catskill  had  been  set  off  to  the  Classis  of  Rensselaer, 
and  Oak  Hill  to  the  Classis  of  Schoharie.  It  will  be  seen  at 
a  glance  that  a  body  whose  extremities  were  so  far  apart 
would  be  un  wieldly.  To  attend  a  meeting  of  Classis  in  Mont- 
gomery would  be  no  light  task  for  the  dominies  of  Shokan  and 
Woodstock,  when  as  yet  Robert  Fulton  was  but  a  "  dreamer 
of  dreams,"  and  railroads  had  not  been  dreamed  of  at  all.  But 
aside  from  the  matter  of  convenience,  a  more  thorough  over- 
sight of  the  field  required  the  separation.  It  was  time  for  the 
hive  to  swarm  again. 

Accordingly,  at  the  semi-annual  meeting  of  the  Classis  in 
April,  1833,  it  was  agreed  that  the  Particular  Synod  should 
be  asked  to  divide  the  body.  This  request  was  favorably  re- 
ceived, as  the  following  extract  from  the  minutes  of  Particu- 
lar Synod  will  show  : 

"  On  the  Minutes  of  the  Classis  of  Ulster  is  contained  a  re- 


quest  to  divide  said  Classis,  and  to  organize  a  new  Classis  to 
be  called  the  Classis  of  Orange.     Whereupon, 

Resolved,  That  the  above  application  be  granted  according 
to  request  of  the  Classis,  and  that  the  new  Classis  be  organiz- 
ed at  the  time  and  in  the  manner  requested  by  the  Classis  of 
Ulster,  and  that  the  Clerk  of  Synod  be  requested  to  forward 
to  the  stated  Clerk  of  the  Classis  of  Ulster  a  copy  of  the  fore- 
ffoins  resolutions. 

A  true  extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  Particular  Synod 
of  Albany. 

B.  B.  WESTFALL,  (  p,    ,    „ 
ABR.  FORT,  j-'^ieii^?- 


In  the  application  to  Synod  the  Chuiches  to  be  embraced 
in  the  new  Classis  were  specified  and  provision  made  for  the 
organization.  Accordingly,  on  the  Twenty-Second  of  May, 
1833,  the  following  persons  met  at  the  parsonage  of  the  Mont- 
gomery Church,  viz  :  Rev.  R.  P.  Lee  of  the  Church  of 
Montgomery  ;  Rev  J  H.  Bevier  of  the  Church  of  Shawan- 
gunk  ;  Rev.  S.  VanVechten  of  the  Church  of  Bloomingburgh  ; 
Rev.  J.  B.  TenEyck  i.f  the  Church  of  Berea  ;  Rev.  A.  J. 
Swits  of  the  Church  of  Wawarsing,  and  the  Elders  Peter  B. 
CromweJ  of  Berea  ;  John  A.  Schoonmaker  of  Shawangunk, 
and  Samuel  Hunter  of  Montgoinery.  By  the  order  of  Synod 
Rev.  J.  H.  Bevier  presided  and  ])reached  ;  Rev.  A.  J.  Swits 
was  chosen  Clerk,  Rev.  J.  B.  TenEyck,  Stated  Clerk,  and 
Rev.  S.  VanVechten,  Questor.  Revs.  Lee  and  TenEyck  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  draft  and  report  rules  of  order  and 
of  business.  The  time  of  the  Semi-Annual  Meetings  was  fix- 
ed for  the  last  Tuesdays  of  April  and  October  of  each  year. 
This  order  at  the  Spring  Session  in  1839  was  changed  to  the 
"  Third  Tuesdays  of  the  same  months."  The  Classis  then  ad- 
journed to  meet  in  regular  session  at  the  Church  of  Mont- 
gomery, on  the  last  Tuesday  (29th)  in  October  next." 


THE  FIRST  MEETING  OF  THE  CLASSIS 

after  its  organization  was  in  "  Extra  Session  "  at  Montgom- 
ery, September  17th,  1833.  Rev.  R.  P.  Lee,  presided.  A  call 
from  the  Church  of  Fallsburgh  upon  Rev.  John  Gray  was  pre- 
sented and  approved.  Then,  as  the  record  has  it  :  "  The 
Rev.  John  Gray  from  the  Independent  Church  of  England, 
having  produced  Constitutional  testimonials — having  signified 
his  acceptance  of  the  call,  and  his  readiness  to  subscribe  the 
Formula,  It  was  Resolved,  "That  the  Rev.  John  Gray  be  a 
member  of  this  Classis."  It  will  be  noticed  that  nothing  is 
here  said  about  any  examination  of  Mr.  Gray  as  to  his  theo- 
logical attainments  and  views,  but  Ave  are  lel't  to  infer  that  he 
was  received  into  the  Classis  upon  his  credentials  merely  ;  an 
oversight  which,  if  committed  then,  has  never  been  repeated 
by  the  Classis.  But  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the  Record 
is  defective.  Mr.  Gray  came  before  the  Classis,  not  merely 
as  from  "  the  Independent  Churcli  of  England,"  but  as  a 
member  in  good  and  regular  standing  of  the  Classis  of  Scho- 
harie. Dr.  Corwin's  "  Manual  "'  gives  the  name  of  but  one 
Rev.  John  Gray,  who,  as  he  states,  came  from  England  in 
1833,  and  began  his  ministry  in  this  country  at  Fallsburgh 
in  that  year.  But  in  the  minutes  of  the  Particular  Synod  of 
Albany  for  1833,  the  name  of  John  Gray  appears  as  that  of  a 
minister  without  charge  in  the  Classis  of  Schoharie.  I  infer 
that  these  two  John  Grays  are  identical,  and  therefore  that 
the  Classis  of  Orange  received  him  not  on  his  credentials  as  a 
minister  of  the  English  church,  but  on  his  certificate  of  dis- 
missal from  the  Classis  of  Schoharie.  I  have  i-eferred  to  this 
matter  because  the  point  is  one  on  which  our  Classis  has 
always  laid  great  stress  and  excercised  especial  caution,  and  I 
am  loath  to  have  her  well-earned  reputation  in  this  respect 
marred  by  a  mistake  at  the  outset.  Classis  arranged  for  the 
installation  of  Mr.  Gray  on  the  22d  of  October,  which  day 
proving  stormy  the  services  were  held  on  the  23d. 

THE  FIRST  REGULAR  MEETING 
of  the  Classis    occurred    according   to   adjournment,    October 


29th,  1833,  at  Montgomery, 
sion  was  as  follows  : 


The  roll  of  Classis  on  this  occa- 


churches. 

Montgomery, 

Berea, 

Bloomingburgh, 

New  Hurley, 

Shawangunk, 

Wawarsing, 

New  Prospect, 

Fallsburgh, 

wurtsboro', 


MINISTERS. 

R.  P.  Lee, 
J.  B.  TeuEyck, 
S.  VanVechten. 
T.  H.  Vandevere, 
J.  H.  Bevier, 
A.  J.  Swits, 
J.  W.  Ward, 
J.  Gray, 


ELDERS. 

P.  Mould. 
C.  Dill. 

J.  Ostrander. 
J.  Jansen. 
J  no.  Brodhead. 
A.   Anthony. 
J.  Seaman. 
W.  Kuykendall. 


Of  these  clerical  founders  of  the  Classis  one-half  are  gone 
to  a  hio-her  service. 


REV.  R.  P.  LEE,  D.  D. 

was  born  in  Yorktown,  Westchester  Co.,  N.  Y.,  in  1803.  He 
graduated  at  Dickinson  College  in  1824,  and  at  the  Seminary 
at  New  Brunswick  in  1828,  and  was  licensed  by  the  Classis  of 
New  York  soon  after.  During  a  portion  of  the  succeeding 
year  he  did  missionary  W(jrk  in  New  York  City,  and  in  1829 
received  and  accepted  a  call  from  the  church  of  Montgomery. 
Dr.  Lee  was  an  eminently  successful  minister.  He  was  not 
brilliant  or  learned,  but  he  had  few  superiors  in  solidity  of 
judgment  and  practical  executive  skill.  He  had  a  fine  person, 
an  impressive  manner  and  a  strong,  well-managed  voice.  His 
discourses  were  never  sparkling,  but  were  always  clear,  point- 
ed and  weighty  with  thought.  He  ha.d  great  power  in  prayer, 
and  his  holy  living  was  always  a  commentary  upon  his  preach- 
ing. As  a  counselor  of  his  brethren  he  had  few  equals.  His 
opinion  upon  disputed  matters  in  Classis  was  the  end  of  strife. 
Viewed  from  an  earthly  stand  point,  his  death,  coming  as  it 
did,  just  as  he  seemed  to  have  reached  the  perfection  of  his 
powers,  was  a  great  calamity  to  the  church. 


REV.  J.  B-  TENEYCK 

was  a  native  of  Kingston,  Ulster  Co.  He  was  educated  in 
the  Academy  there  and  at  Union  College  where  he  graduated 
in  1818.  In  1821  he  graduated  from  the  Seminary  at  New 
Brunswick,  and  was  licensed  by  the  Ncav  Brunswick  Classis 
immediately  after.  In  1823  he  began  labor  with  the  newly 
formed  church  of  Berea  which  soon  called  him  to  the  pastor- 
ate. The  chnrch  was  an  offshoot  from  a  neighboring  Presby- 
terian body  and  great  efforts  were  made  to  secure  its  adhesion 
to  the  Presbytery.  But  Mr.  TenEyck  laid  his  influence  in 
the  scale  of  the  Classis  and  decided  the  struggle.  The  church 
was  received  into  the  Classis  of  Ulster,  May  b',  1823.  I  have 
not  been  able  to  learn  the  exact  date  of  Mr.  TenEyck's  ordi- 
nation and  installation.  His  settlement  had  the  old-fashion- 
ed element  of  perpetuity  in  it.  The  "  Golden  Wedding"  of 
Pastor  and  People  occurred  early  in  1872.  Mr.  TenEyck  had  an 
exceedingly  social  nature,  a  warm  heart,  refined  by  grace,  a 
sensitive  conscience  and  a  ready  sympathy  with  his  fellow 
men.  He  excelled  as  a  pastor,  winning  his  way  to  all  hearts 
and  always  justifying  the  confidence  reposed  in  him.  His 
genial,  cheeiful  ways  made  him  a  favorite  among  his  brethren, 
whilf'  his  unaffected  modesty  and  [)rompt  discharge  of  all 
duties  commanded  their  respect.  He  served  the  Classis  for 
seventeen  years  in  the  office  of  Stated  Clerk.  The  first  Vol- 
ume of  the  Minutes  of  Classis  is  wholly  in  his  handwriting, 
and  about  one-half  of  the  second.  Mr.  TenEyck  died  April 
20th,  1872,  after  a  short  illness. 

REV.  SAMUEL  VAN  VECHTEN 

was  born  in  Catskill,  August  4th,  1796.  He  fitted  for  col- 
lege at  Kingston  Academy,  and  graduated  at  Union  College  in 
the  year  1818.  His  theological  course  was  finished  at  New 
Brunswick  in  1822,  and  he  received  his  licensure  from  the 
New  Brunswick  Classis  the  same  year.  For  two  years  fol- 
lowing he  was  engaged  in  missionary  service  in  the  Mohawk 
Valley  and  in  Central  New  York.     In  1824  he  was  installed 


9 

over  the  united  churches  of  Bloomingburgh  and  Rome,  now 
Mamakating.  In  1829  this  union  was  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Van- 
Vechten's  labors  were  confined  to  the  Bloomingburgh  church 
till  his  dismissal  in  1841.  Out  of  the  number  of  those  who 
joined  the  Bloomingburgh  church  during  his  pastorate  six  at 
least  became  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  all  of  them  have 
served,  or  still  are  serving,  the  churches  with  great  efficiency. 
After  h'aving  Bloomingburgh  Mr.  VanVechten  labored  for 
three  years  as  pastor  of  the  church  of  Fort  Phain.  Dismissed 
from  there  on  account  of  failing  health,  in  1844,  he  retired  to 
Fishkill,  where  he  has  since  resided.  During  the  troublous 
times  which  marked  the  close  of  his  Bloomingburgh  life,  I  have 
not  learned  that  his  christian  character  was  called  in  question. 
He  differed  from  his  brethren  in  opinion  ;  they  thought  the 
difference  to  be  such  as  ought  to  exclude  him  from  tlie  minis- 
try in  the  Dutch  Church  ;  he  thought  it  was  not,  and  fought 
for  his  standing  with  acknowledged  ability,  and,  as  the  result 
proved,  with  success.  The  weight  of  increasing  years,  and  the 
debility  of  decaying  physical  powers  have  brought  with  them 
a  mellowness  of  spirit  and  a  ripeness  of  graces  that  make  Mr. 
VanVechten's  last  days  his  best  days.  With  the  patience  of 
hope  he  is  waiting  for  his  change  to  come. 


REV.  F.  H.  VANDEVERE,  D-  D- 

is  a  graduate  of  Union  College  in  the  class  of  1821.  He 
finished  his  theological  course  and  was  licensed  at  New 
Brunswick  in  1823.  He  was  pastor  at  Hyde  Park  in  Dutch- 
ess Co.,  from  1823  to  1829,  at  New  Hurley  from  1829  to  1839, 
at  Newburgh  from  1839  to  1842,  and  at  Warwick  from  1842 
to  the  present  time.  Dr.  Vandevere  was  evidently  the  Nes- 
tor of  the  Classis  during  his  connection  with  it.  He  has  a 
clear  head,  a  profound  acquaintance  with  theological  science, 
a  deep  love  of  truth,  and  a  vigorous  will.  Those  who  at- 
tended the  debates  with  which  the  great  VanVechten  war  was 
carried  on,  will  remember  the  fiery  earnestness,  and  massive 


10 

force  with  which  the  Dr.  pushed  on  the  fight.  "And  there 
were  giants  in  those  days." 

REV.  JOHN  H.  BEVIER 

was  born  in  Wawarsing  in  1805.  He  pursued  a  course  of 
study  under  the  oversight  of  Rev.  Dr.  C.  D.  Westbrook,  gradua- 
ted at  the  Seminary  at  New  Brunswick  in  1831,  and  received 
iiis  license  from  the  Classis  there.  In  the  same  year,  lie  was  or- 
dained and  installed  at  Shawangunk,  where  he  remained  till 
1843.  He  then  took  the  editorship  of  the  Christian  Intelli- 
gencer which  he  retained  till  1852.  Meantime  in  1851  he  had 
been  installed  pastor  of  the  church  of  Fordham,  where  he  con- 
tinued till  1853,  when  he  went  to  Glen  ham.  His  pastorate  there 
lasted  till  1860.  Thence  he  removed  to  Rensselaer  where  he 
wrought  till  1863.  From  1864  to  1867  he  was  pastor  of  the 
church  of  Rosendale.  Then  for  two  or  three  years  he  acted  as 
Stated  Supply  at  New  Concord.  Failing  health  compelled 
him  a  year  or  two  since  to  relinquish  the  ministry  and  he  is 
now  living  in  retirement  at  Hyde  Park,  in  Dutchess  Co.  Mr. 
Bevier  is  a  sound  theologian,  a  good  sermonizer,  and  has  a 
good  deal  of  intellectual  strength  and  acumen.  He  has  a  ner- 
vous organization,  and  is  somewhat  eccentric  in  his  ways.  He 
has  lived  a  useful  and  honored  life. 

REV.  ABRAHAM  J-  SWITS 

is  a  graduate  of  Union  Colledge,  class  o[  1817,  and  of  New 
Brunswick  Seminary,  class  of  1820.  He  was  licensed  by  the 
Classis  of  Ntw  Brunswick  in  1820,  and  for  a  year  or  two  did 
missionary  work  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State.  He  be- 
came pastor  of  the  united  churches  of  Schaghticoke  and 
Tyashoke  in  1823  and  remained  there  till  1829.  In  that 
year  he  was  installed  over  the  church  of  Wawarsing,  and  dis- 
missed in  June,  1835.  From  1837  to  1842. he  was  pastor  of 
the  2nd  Church  of  Glenville,  since  which  he  has  been  livins' 
without  change  at  Schenectady.  Mr.  Swits  is  a  man  of  some 
angularities,  but  genial  and  large  hearted.    His  sermcns  have 


11 

a  practical  turn  and  his  sentences  are  more  forcible  than  pol- 
ished. He  is  afraid  of  no  man,  and  always  drives  straight  at 
his  mark.  He  retains  much  of  his  youthful  vigor  and  freshness 
of  feeling  notwithstanding  the  weight  of  his  three  score  years 
and  ten.     '■'■Serus  in  Coelum  redeat." 

REV.  JOHN  W.  WARD 

came  into  the  church  from  the  Presbyterian  connection,  and 
I  have  been  able  to  learn  nothing  concerning  his  earlier 
days.  He  was  installed  at  New  Prospect  in  May,  1832,  and 
dismissed  April  25,  1837.  From  1839  to  1841  he  acted  as 
Stated  Supply  tor  the  church  of  Wawarsing.  From  1841 
to  1845  he  was  pastor  at  upper  Red  Hook.  From  1849  to 
1854  he  was  settled  at  Green  Point.  His  death  occurred  in 
1859.  Mr.  Ward  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability, 
somewhat  sluggish  in  temperament,  but  moving  with  great 
:  momputura  wht-n  roused.  Meek,  placed,  and  retiring  under 
•ordinary  conditions,  yet  his  trumpet  gave  no  uncertain  sound 
in  the  day  of  battle. 

REV.  JOHN  GRAY 

was  born  in  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  in  1792.  For  fifteen  years 
he  preached  as  a  missionary  in  Tartary,  and  among  the  desti- 
tute in  the  waste  places  of  England.  He  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  1833,  and  the  same  year  was  installed  pastor  at  Wood- 
bourne.  The  church  there  was  in  an  enfeebled  condition  and 
it  did  not  take  long  with  the  good  dominie's  impetuous  Scotch 
zeal  to  get  matters  into  a  fearful  snarl.  He  was  injpatient, 
and  the  consistory  was  slow.  He  was  exact  and  the  Con- 
sistory could  not  be  punctual.  Hence,  in  a  year  the  two  were 
so  far  apart  that  the  Classis  cut  the  cord  that  bound  them,  to 
the  great  relief  of  both.  After  a  succession  of  subsequent 
settlements,  Mr.  Gray  died  in  1865.  But  Mr.  Gray  was  no 
common  man.  He  was  self-educated,  a  man  of  indomitable 
energy  and  determined  will.  He  was  a  deep  thinker,  and  had 
great   facility  of  expression.     As  a  paragraphist  for   the   re- 


12 

ligious  papers  he  developed  rare  talent,  Christ  was  his  Alpha 
and  Omega,  and  all  his  effort  was  to  make  him  known. 

THE  MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE  CHURCHES, 

comprised  in  the  new  Classis  (except  those  of  Shawangunk, 
New  Pr(>si)ect  and  Fallsburgh,  which  make  no  returns)  as  re- 
ported in  the  minutes  of  Synod  for  1833  was  880.  Of  these 
Montgomery,  the  largest,  had  447,  and  Mamakating,  the 
smallest,  had  11.  The  geographical  limits  of  these  churches 
were  essentially  the  same  as  now.  The  church  of  Wawarsing 
has  since  been  contracted  more  than  any  other.  At  that  date 
her  boundaries  covered  the  territory  now  occupied  by  the 
churches  of  Grahamsville  and  Kerhonkson  in  part,  and  Ellen- 
ville  entire.  The  church  of  Walden  has  trenched  somewhat 
on  the  grounds  of  Berea  and  Montgomery,  and  more  recently 
the  Wallkill  Valley  church  has  nestled  down  between  Wal- 
den, New  Hurley  and  Shawangunk. 

The  present  enormous  sweep  of  our  boundary  lines  is  the 
result  of  subsequent  accretions.  The  churches  of  Walpack, 
Minnisink  and  Deerpark  were  annexed  July  24th,  1835.  The 
Neversink  region  came  in  in  1849-50,  and  the  annexation  of 
the  German  field  began  in  1852.  The  extremes  of  our  terri- 
tory from  East  to  West  are  to-day  80  miles  apart,  and  from 
North  to  South  are  70  miles  apart.  Diagonally  across  this 
large  district  from  N.  B.  to  S.  W.  runs  the  Shawangunk 
range  of  mountains  constituting  a  barrier  which  renders  any 
equable  division  of  the  Classis  impracticable,  and  at  the  same 
time  greatly  hinders  our  intercourse.  The  question  of  separ- 
ation has  several  times  came  up  in  Classis,  but  it  has  never 
been  favorably  entertained.  Our  geographical  position  seems 
to  forbid  it.  No  dividing  line  can  be  drawn  which  will  not 
leave  some  of  the  churches  to  many  inconviences.  Any  prac- 
ticable partition  would  mass  the  stronger  churches  and  leave 
the  feebler  ones  scattered  and  overburdened.  At  present  the 
entire  subject  of  division  seems  to  be  i)ut  indefinitely  at  rest 
by  the  new  Railroad  routes  which  traverse  the  district. 


13 

But  at  the  time  of  its  organization,  the  Classis  was  com- 
pact in  territory,  and  homogeneous  in  population.  The  great 
majority  of  her  cliurch  members  were  "  to  the  manner  born." 
For  the  most  part  they  knew  her  history,  they  comprehended 
her  claims,  and  cordially  accepted  her  standards  ;  they  were 
used  to  her  forms  and  preferred  her  polity.  Doubtless  it  was 
true  then  as  now,  that  a  great  deal  of  their  actachment  to  the 
church  on  the  part  of  many  was  the  outgrowth  of  tradition  or 
habit.  Many  who  adhered  to  her  fellowship  neither  compre- 
hended her  excellencies,  nor  prized  her  advantages.  Nothing 
had  occurred  to  call  their  attention  to  the  value  ot  a  connec- 
tion with  a  church  which  gave  ample  scope  and  facility  to  all 
christian  endeavor,  and  at  the  same  time  hedged  out  all 
reasonable  pretext  for  uneasiness  and  complaint.  Hence,  wide- 
spread in  the  church  was  an  external  conformity  which  lacked 
enthusiasm  and  zeal. 

But  this  evil  was  counterbalanced  by  a  virtue.  The  mem- 
bership of  our  churches  generally  had  not  itching  ears.  They 
had  little  curiosity  about  new  creeds  and  new  measures.  They 
had  tried  the  old  paths,  and  were  content  to  walk  in  them. 
They  preferred  quiet  and' safety  to  uproar  and  risk.  It  was  a 
time  of  fierce  excitements  abroad.  Other  branches  of  the  or- 
thodox church  were  greatly  disturbed.  Agitators  and  would- 
be  reformers  were  going  up  and  down,  ringing  great  bells,  and 
crying  with  loud  voices.  What  was  old  and  tried  was  being 
broken  up  and  flung  into  crucibles  to  be  melted  over  But 
the  Dutch  Church,  phlegmatic  and  staid,  had  no  sympathy 
with  these  seditions,  and  no  confidence  in  the  movers  of  them. 
She  was  not  inclined  to  controversy,  and  never  indulged  in  it 
except  in  defence  of  what  she  held  to  be  the  law  of  truth  and 
order.  Her  standards  led  her  in  a  sa|e  "  median  line  "  be- 
tween Antinomianism  on  the  one  hand  and  Arminianism  on 
the  other.  As  she  had  turned  her  back  upon  the  dead  formal- 
ism of  the  "  True  Dutch  Church,"  and  spewed  its  blind  fatal- 
ism out  of  her  mouth,  so  she  set  her  face  as  a  flint  against  the 
vagaries  of  a  rampant  New-School-ism,  and  rejected  with  per- 
sistent scorn  its  disorg-anizinfic  theories.     And  still  this  avoid- 


14 

ance  of  extremes  on  both  hands,  was  not  the  outgrowth  either 
of  indifference  or  cowardice.  Her  own  creed  was  positive  and 
definite,  and  her  devotion  to  it  was  unquestionable.  And  she 
had  never  been  afraid  to  stand  by  her  convictions.  Her  old 
"  Coetus  and  Conferentiae  war,"  and  her  later  struggle  with 
"  manifest  destiny,"  in  the  shape  of  English  preaching,  had 
shown  that  the  true  Netherlandish  blood  in  her  veins,  was  not 
much  diluted.  Her  peaceful  temper  was  not  born  of  coward- 
ice. Hence  she  presumed  on  being  let  alone.  Her  constitu- 
tion fenced  out  of  her  pulpits  those  ecclesiastical  "  Wills-o'- 
the  Wisp,"  the  peripatetic  evangelists  that  held  up  their  rush- 
lights and  blew  their  ram's  horns  at  the  East  and  at  the  West. 
Her  hospitality  was  not  broad  enough  to  cover  that  variety  of 
tramps.  It  was  not,  therefore,  probable  that  tlie  torrent  of 
outside  contention  would  flow  across  her  borders.  And  even 
if  it  did  wash  the  edges  of  the  church  at  large,  this  new 
Classis,  it  seemed,  would  be  secure.  Her  laity  were  intelligent, 
honest  and  loyal.  Her  ministers  were  of  one  mind,  sound  in 
the  faith,  devoted  to  their  work,  and  were  in  such  close  contact 
that  dissentions  could  not  grow  between  them.  Thus,  the 
launching  of  the  new  Classis  was  upon  smooth  waters,  and 
with  a  clear  sky  overhead. 

At  this  first  regular  meeting  of  the  Classis,  little  business 
was  done  besides  completing  the  organization.  The  commit- 
tee appointed  for  that  purpose  reported  a  set  of  Rules  which 
were  discussed  and  adopted.  The  Lemmata  prescribing  the 
order  of  business  were  agreed  to,  and  the  mode  of  electing  the 
Stated  Clerk  and  Questor,  by  a  majority  of  ballots  cast,  was 
fixed  upon.  Among  the  rules  adopted  was  this:  "Four 
ministers  and  four  elders  of  Classis  shall  constitute  a  quorum, 
but  a  smalhn-  number  may  adjourn  from  day  to  day,  and  en- 
deavor to  secure  the  attendance  of  absent  members.''  This 
unwitting  interference  with  a  prerogative  of  the  Constitution 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  Particular  Synod  at  its  next  sit- 
ting, and  the  Classis  was  ordered  to  erase  it. 

The  second  of  the  above  mentioned  Rules  provided  for  the 
presiding  officers  of  Classis  as  follows  : 


15 

"  He  who  officiated  as  Clerk  at  the  last  Stated  Meeting  of 
Classis  shall  preside  at  the  next  Stated  Meeting  ;  and  the 
members  of  Classis  shall  officiate  as  Clerk  in  the  same  order 
in  which  they  subscribed  the  formula  ;  and  if  any  member 
fail  to  fulfill  this  office  in  his  turn,  he  shall  not  officiate 
again  until  it  falls  to  him  by  original  order." 

This  practice  was  continued  till  April  20,  1852,  when  this 
rule  was  rescinded  and  the  two  officers  made  elective. 

The  Stated  Clerk  and  Questor  have  been  elected  annually 
at  the  Fall  Sessions.  Rev.  J.  B.  TenEyck  served  as  Stated 
Clerk  from  the  organization  of  Classis  till  October,  1851,  a 
period  of  eighteen  years.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W.  S. 
Moore,  who  served  till  September,  1856,  five  years.  To  him 
succeeded  Rev.  C.  Scott,  who  served  till  his  dismissal,  April, 
1866,  a  period  of  ten  years.  The  present  Stated  Clerk,  Rev. 
E.  W.  Bentley,  succeeded  Mr.  Scott. 

Rev.  S.  VanVechten,  was  elected  Questor  of  Classis  at  its 
first  meeting  and  served  till  1841,  eight  years.  Rev.  R.  P.  Lee 
succeeded  Mr.  V.  and  served  till  1851,  ten  years.  To  him  suc- 
ceeded Rev.  M.  V.  Schoonmaker,  who  served  till  1869,  eighteen 
years.  Rev.  L.  L.  Comfort  served  from  1869  to  1871,  two 
years  ;  Rev.W.  S.  Brown  from  1871  to  1874,  three  years.  Rev. 
C.  Brett  succeeded  Mr.  Brown, 

At  this  first  regular  meeting,  also  Rev.  Thomas  Edwards 
who  had  for  three  years  been  o.cting  as  Stated  Supply  of  the 
Mamakating  church  applied  for  admission  as  a  member  of 
Classis.     The  reply  to  his  petition  is  as  follows  : 

Resolved,  That  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards  have  leave  to  withdraw 
his  papers.  That  whilst  Classis  cannot  receive  him  oa  consti- 
tutional grounds  as  a  member  of  this  body  :  yet  from  their 
personal  knowledge  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards,  who  has  labored 
for  three  years  within  our  bounds,  they  believe  him  to  be  sound 
in  doctrine,  and  exemplary  in  his  practice,  and  calculated  in 
some  spheres  to  be  useful  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel."  Our 
wonder  at  the  deftness  with    which    this  left-handed  compli- 


16 

ment  is  paid,  is  i)erfected  when  we  find  that  six  months  later 
Mr.  Edwards  "had  been  ordained  and  installed  pastor  of  the 
church  ofCoeymans."  What  had  become  of  the  "constitu- 
tional grounds  "'  in  the  meantime  does  not  appear,  nor  are  we 
informed  of  the  precise  difference  as  "  spheres  "  between  Coey- 
mans  and  Wurtsboro.  The  incident  is  noticeable  simply  as 
illustrating  the  great  caution  used  by  the  Classis  in  admit- 
ting strangers  into  her  fellowship. 

And  now  having  seen  the  Classis  thoroughly  organized  for 
its  work,  I  pass  to  the  consideration  of  general  topics. 

BENEVOLENCE. 

Our  records  show  a  steady  growth  in  this  christian  grace 
among  the  churches.  The  Classis  has  taken  persistent  pains 
from  the  beginning  to  awaken  and  foster  a  spirit  of  liberality. 

At  the  first  regular  meeting  the  following  resolution  was 
passed : 

Resolved :  That  the  inquiry  be  made  of  each  minister 
in  reference  to  the  plan  pursued  in  his  congregation  for  rais- 
ing money  for    the    benevolent    institutions    of  the  church." 

The  scriptural  duty  and  method  of  giving  have  been  exhibited 
from  time  to  time,  and  objects  of  benevolence  have  been  point- 
ed out.  The  wants  of  the  spiritually  destitute  a!,  home  and 
abroad  have  been  laid  before  the  churches,  and  the  duty  of 
contributing  to  them  has  been  freely  urged  upon  the  hearts 
and  consciences  of  our  people.  Here  at  home  new  churches 
needing  the  fostering  care  of  Classis  have  l)cen  organized,  and 
feeble  ones  sustained  and  encouraged,  while  the  wants  of  the 
heathen  in  tiie  far  ends  of  the  earth  have  not  been  overlooked. 

Our  peoi)li' are  not  impulsive ;  it  might  be  better  if  they 
were  more  so.  And  yet  giving,  as  most  of  them  do,  upon 
principle  and  not  from  caprice,  their  bounty  can  be  depended 
upon  from  year  to  year.  We  keep  what  we  gain,  and  have 
therefore  only  to  look  forward,  forgetting  those  things  which 
are  l)chiiul.     Measured  by  the  Master's  rule,  we  confess  to  de- 


17 

linqnency,  but,  as  the  denominations  too  generally  do,  "  com- 
paring ourselves  among   ourselves,"   we    think    God   tor   the 
steadiness  with  which  our  churches  stand  up   to  their   work. 
An  occasional  panic  in  the  money  market,  or  the  failure  of  a 
harvest  may  diminish  for  a  little  the  tlow  oi  their  bounty,  but 
the  banks  of  the  channel  fill  again  as  soon  as  the  drouth  ceases. 
And  this  has  been  their  peculiaiity  from  the  beginning  until 
now.     The  action,  of  Greneral  Synod  on  all  matters  of  church 
extension    and   the  spread    of   the   gospel    has    received    the 
prompt  and  hearty  endorsement  of  the  Ciassis.     It  is  indeed 
possible  that  when  the  number  of  our  churches  and  the  sum- 
total  of  our  membership  is  considered,  the  average  of  our  con- 
tributions may  fall  below  that  of  some    other    Classes  whose 
church  rolls  are  shorter.     But  numbers  are  not  a  fair  test  of 
church  strength.     Our  Ciassis  has  no  metropolitan   congrega- 
tions, and  but  few — three  or  four   at    most — strong  churches. 
On  the  contrary  the  majority  of  them  have  hard  work  to  pro- 
cure their  own  living.     Life  is  to  them  a    struggle,    and  their 
contributions  to  benevolent  purposes  are  true  "  widow's  mites." 
There  is  no  justice  in  dividing  the  pecuniary    burdens   of  the 
church  on  the  basis  of  the  tootings  of  the    statistical    tables. 
Willingness  and  ability  are  not  always  commensurate. 

FOREIGN  MISSIONARY  WORK. 
The  first  Licentiate  of  Ciassis  was  one  of  her  own  sons,  who 
gave  himself  to  the  missionary  work  in.  a  foreign  field,  and 
who,  although  compelled  to  bring  his  worn-out  body  home  to 
die,  left  his  heart  behind  him  vi  the  wilderness  with  the  few 
sheep  which  he  had  there  gathered  into  the  fold.  Another 
missionary  still  in  active  service,  was  maintained  part  way 
through  his  educational  process  by  the  churches  of  this  Ciassis. 
And  when  Synod  in  its  wisdom  cut  the  denomination  loose 
from  its  alliance  with  the  American  Board,  Ciassis  cordially 
sanctioned  the  step,  and  entered  promptly  into  the  work  of 
sustaining  our  own  Board.  The  sum-total  of  our  contribu- 
tions to  the  cause  of  Foreign  Missions  during  the  ten  years 
ending  April,  1874,  is  $21,083  47. 


18 
DOMESTIC  MISSIONS. 

Tlie  Claissis'  work  of  Domestic  Missions  has  been  somewhat 
peculiar.  No  sooner  was  her  organization  effected  tlian  she 
began  the  work  of  caring  for  and  nursing  the  feebler  churches 
within  lier  bounds.  For  a  succession  of  years  the  ministers  of 
Mamakating  and  Fallsburgh  derived  a  portion  of  their  sup- 
port from  the  contributions  of  Classis.  And  at  the  same  time 
efforts  were  made  to  establish  new  churches  wherever  openings 
could  be  found.  In  1835  the  churches  of  Walpack,  Minnisink, 
and  Miihackamac,  now  Deerpark,  were  received  from  the 
Classis  of  New  Brunswick,  and  thus  a  wide  field  of  missionary 
effort  was  opened  up.  In  1835  the  Nowburgh  church,  and  in 
1839  the  Walden  church  were  added  to  the  enlarging  bounds 
of  the  Classis.  In  1844,  Classis  by  her  committees  explored 
the  region  ai-ound  the  head-waters  of  the  Neversink  with  a 
view  to  relieve  in  someway  tlie  destitution  which  prevailed  in 
that  newly  settled  district.  This  action  led  to  the  creation  of 
the  Grahamsville  church  in  the  same  year,  and  that  was  fol- 
lowed five  years  later  by  the  birth  of  the  churches  of  Clary- 
ville  and  Brown's  Settlement.  This  field,  then  lying  on  the 
edge  of  the  sec  aid  great  forest  in  the  State  of  New  York,  pre- 
sented all  the  difficulties  of  pioneer  life.  In  one  instance  the 
iron  castings  of  a  saw  mill  in  this  region  were  about  that  time 
carried  in,  a  distance  of  six  miles,  on  the  shoulders  of  the  en- 
ter])rising  owner  ;  while  his  wife  followed  pluckily  athishef^ls 
loaded  with  her  only  feather  bed. 

The  eliuich  t)f  Claryville  was  organized  in  1849  with  sixteen 
members,  and  that  of  Brown's  Settlement  in  1850,  with  fifteen 
members.  But  they  were  not  strong  enough;  to  support  a 
minister  eithei  alone  or  together,  and  if  they  h;id  been  united 
with  Grahamsville  they  would  have  made  a  field  too  laborious 
for  any  <»ne  man  to  cultivate.  Hence  the  result  (vf  our  efforts 
there  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  success.  One  of  those  churches 
is  ii  memory,  and  the  other  is  very  lik(>  a  gh  )st. 

The  German  Held  in  the  Western  part  of  Sullivan  County, 
early  enlisted   the    interest    and  efforts    of   the    Classis.      Tht^ 


19 

churcli  of  Jeifersonville  organized  in  1852,  opened  the  door 
for  protracted  and  trying  labor  in  all  that  region.  The 
records  of  the  Classis  for  the  twenty  years  between  1852  and 
1872  will  show  that  that  work  consumed  more  of  the  time  and 
attention  of  Classis  at  its  regular  sessions  than  all  other 
subjects  combined.  The  older  members  of  Classis  will  re- 
call the  budget  of  German  troubles  laid  upon  the  table  of 
Classis  at  almost  every  meeting.  Perchance  they  will  also  re- 
member the  bundles  ol  good  advice  which  we  used  to  send 
back  in  return  ;  the  queer  questions  which  we  answered,  the 
complamts,  childish  and  otherwise,  which  we  adjusted  ;  the 
moneys  we  voted,  and  the  committees  we  "  resolved "  into 
being,  and  some  of  us  will  recall  the  long  rides  in  snow  and 
mud,  in  rain  and  sunshine,  across  the  bleak  Sullivan  hills, 
which  we  took  to  organize  and  reorgaize  that  which  somehow 
refused  to  stay  organized. 

Nevertheless,  the  Gei mans  in  that  section  have  done  well. 
They  labored  in  those  days  under  many  and  great  disadvan- 
tages. They  were  very  poor,  the  small  capital  which  they 
brought  with  them  was  exhausted  in  the  purchase  of  their 
lands  ;  their  rough  farms  just  hewn  out  from  the  hemlock 
woods  yielded  more  stumps  than  corn,  more  bushes  than  grass, 
and  more  bears  than  sheep.  The  "bread  and  butter"  prob- 
lem was  serious  and  pressing,  and  the  salution  of  it  left 
little  space  for  attention  to  spiritual  and  moral  wants. 
Anotlier  difficulty  lay  in  tlie  dissimilarity  of  their  habits  of 
thought  and  modes  of  working.  They  had  been  trained  in 
widely  different  schools.  The  Prussian,  the  Swiss,  the  Ba- 
varian and  the  Hollander  could  not  all  at  once  be  fused  into 
intelligent  Americans.  Their  notions  of  the  relations  between 
Church  and  State  were  ingrained  and  yet  utterly  impracti- 
cable in  their  changed  condition.  And  thus  they  needed  to 
be  led  almost  as  children  along  the  untried  paths  of  our  Re- 
publican habits,  and  the  intricate  ways  of  our  Voluntary 
System . 

Another  and  a  severer  obstacle  lay  in  their  inability  or  their 


20 

unwillingness  to  take  anything  upon  trust.  That  which  they 
could  see  and  feel  and  handle,  they  could  believe  in,  but 
everything  beyond  that  was  unreal  and  therefore  uncertain. 
Their  aversion  to  debt  in  monied  affairs,  seemed  to  end  in  an 
aversion  to  faith  in  spiritual  things.  As  they  did  not  like  to 
ask  for  credit,  so  they  were  loath  to  givp  it.  So  long  as  the 
Chassis  would  indorse  God's  promise  to  sustain  them  in  build- 
ing up  the  church,  so  long  it  passed  current  among  them, 
but  where  Chissis  stopped  they  wanted  to  stop  also.  And 
doubtless  in  our  zeal  to  help  them  we  went  too  far.  We  in- 
dorsed too  often  and  let  the  indorsement  lie  too  long.  When 
at  last  we  withdrew  our  signature  and  threw  them  back  upon 
the  bare  promise,  they  began  to  gathei-  strength.  God  sent 
them  a  worthy  pastor,  and  then  sent  them  wisdom  enough  to 
be  content  with  him.  And  to-day  he  finds  a  cheerful 
support  which  he  dearly  earns  from  a  })rosper()Us  people. 
Twenty-five  years  have  wrought  a  great  change  in  all  that 
region,  and  the  prospect  now  is,  that  another  quarter  of  a 
century  will  place  those  churches  among  the  foremusr  in 
Classis. 

For  many  years  our  work  of  Domestic  Missions  was  carried 
forward  indepejidently  of  the  Domestic  Board  of  the  church. 
This  occurred  through  no  disloyalty  to  the  denomination 
and  by  reason  of  no  distrust  of  the  Synod's  chosen  agency. 
It  was  merely  making  a  neighbor  of  him  who  lived  next  door 
to  us,  or  rather  providing  for  our  own  household.  The  hand 
of  this  destitution  was  reached  out  to  us,  and  we  simply  put 
our  alms  into  it  And  thus  before  we  were  aware  we  had 
upon  our  hands  an  informal  missionary  work  of  no  mean  propor- 
tions. Without  at  all  intending  it  we  seemed  to  have  entered 
into  a  rivalry  with  the  Synod  in  the  work  of  church 
extension.  Kow  to  cease  from  this  apparent  competition  with- 
out at  the  same  time  surrendering  all  direct  oversight  of  a 
field  that  had  come  to  have  a  strong  hold  upon  our  sympathy 
and  interest,  was  a  question  anxiously  asked  and  seriously 
considered.     The  difficulty  was  finally  met  and  obviated  by  a 


21 

proposition  from  the  Synod's  Board,  which  was  accepted  in 
Classis,  January  24,  1855.  Under  this  arrangement  all 
monies  raised  in  Classis  for  the  Domestic  Missionary  cause 
are  paid  into  the  treasury  of  the  Domestic  Board,  and  the 
Classis  is  allowed  to  say  what  portion  of  these  shall  he  ex- 
})ended  within  her  own  bounds.  On  the  other  hand  the  Board 
is  not  obligated  to  lay  out  upon  our  iield  any  sums  which  the 
Classis  does  not  furnish.  During  the  last  five  years  the  Clas- 
sis has  given  to  Domestic  Missions  $5,014.50. 

As  respects  the  other  Boards  of  the  church,  the  Classis  will 
claim  that  she  has  borne  her  full  .-iihai'e  of  the  burden  of  sus- 
taining them.  The  Bible  and  the  Tract  Cause,  and  other 
outside  benevolent  agencies  have  also  reaped  generous  har- 
vests within  our  bounds.  The  temperance  cause  has  uni- 
formly received  the  fostering  care  of  Classis.  Numerous 
resolutions  endorsing  and  commending  its  principles  and  call- 
ing upon  the  ministers  to  advocate  them,  are  found  upon  the 
records.  The  observance  of  the  great  anniversaries  of  prayer 
for  the  general  welfare  of  Zion,  for  Colleges,  for  Missions,  for 
the  World's  conversion,  etc.,  is  repeatedly  urged  upon  the 
churches.  And  thus  in  all  particulars  has  the  Classis  sought 
to  kee[)  abreast  of  the  church  universal  in  its  progress  toward  a 
tinal  triumph.  Slie  has  })Ut  upon  record  an  intelligent  and 
positive  opinion  regarding  most  of  the  topics  which  from 
time  to  time  have  agitated  the  christian  public  mind. 

LOYALTY 

The  record  of  the  Classis  concerning  this  christian  duty  is 
unstained.  She  has  uniformly  recognized  "  the  powers  that 
be  "  as  "  ordained  of  God,"  and  has  given  to  them  her  due 
subjection  and  support.  She  has  been  loyal  to  the  State. 
During  the  late  war  of  the  Rebellion,  the  Classis  shared  in  the 
general  agitation  and  anxiety.  The  conflicting  views  and  feel- 
ings of  that  stormy  period  gave  rise  to  some  confusion,  and 
possibly  to  some  temporary  bitterness.  But  the  law  of  mutual 
forbearance  prevailed,  and  the  churches  all  came    through  it 


22 


undivided  and  harmonious.  None  of  our  ministers  were  di- 
rectly unsettled  by  it,  and  none  of  our  churches  were  perma- 
nently weakened  by  it.  The  Classis  on  all  proper  occasions 
spoke  out  decisively  in  favor  of  the  national  honor  and  'ife. 

Again,  the  Classis  has  always  been  loyal  to  the  Denomina- 
tion. She  has  never  allowed  herself  to  be  a  clog  on  the  wheels 
of  denominational  progress,  but  has  been  intelligently  inter- 
ested and  active  in  all  measures  tending  to  advance  the  im- 
portance and  efticiency  of  the  Dutch  Church.  At  her  first 
regular  meeting  in  1833,  she  gave  a  unanimous  vote  in  favor 
of  the  Revised  Constitution  that  year  adopted  ;  and  again,  in 
1873,  she  adopted  unanimously  the  "  Amended  Constitution." 
The  ''  proposed  "  article  relating  to  the  Dtputatus  Synodi, 
was  stricken  out  by  a  vote  of  eighteen  to  six,  and  that  relating 
to  the  Heidelbergh  Catechism,  was  stricken  out  by  a  vote  of 
thirteen  to  ten. 

When  the  question  of  changing  the  name  of  the  Church 
came  up  in  1867,  the  Classis  indoised  the  action  of  Synod  by 
a  vote  of  nineteen  to  nine. 

In  1864  the  General  Synod  determined  to  increase  the 
"  Permanent  Fund  "  of  the  church  by  an  adtlitionof  $20,000. 
Our  quota  of  tiiis  amount  was  rated  at  $966  55,  which  was 
promptly  raised  and  ))aid  over  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Synod. 

It  has  always  been  a  matter  of  [jrinciple,  no  less  than  of 
pride  with  the  Classis,  not  to  come  short  in  its  pecuniary  ob- 
ligations, but  this  transaction  has  involved  us  in  seeming  de- 
lin([uency.  Our  position  in  the  case  is,  however,  briefly  this  : 
Down  to  1857,  certain  expenditures  of  the  Board  of  Direction, 
such  as  deficiencies  in  the  Professors'  salaries,  outlays  upon 
the  buildings  at  New  Brunswick,  and  the  running  expenses  of 
the  Svnod,  were  all  classed  under  the  head  of  "  Contingent 
Expenses,"  and  paid  out  of  the  income  oi'  the  Permanent 
Fund.  But  iit  that  time  (18.37)  these  expenditures  had  in- 
creased and  arrearages  accumulated,  beyond  the  capacity  of 
that   income  to  cover  them,  and  the  policy  was  adopted  of 


23  , 

makini;'  annual  assessments  upon  the  Classis  to  cover  this  de- 
ficiency. The  magnitude  of  these  assessments  increased  till 
the  Classes  were  forced  to  remonstrate.  This  went  on  till,  in 
1864,  it  was  decided  to  raise  the  $20,000  above  referred  to. 
It  was  supposed  that  the  income  of  the  fund  thus  enlarged 
would  suffice  for  these  deficiencies,  and  leave  only  the  real  "con- 
tingent expenses"  to  be  met  by  annual  apportionments.  It 
was  contended  that  the  Classes  woukl  cheerfully  pay  the 
moderate  annual  outlays  of  the  Synod  in  doing  its  routine  work, 
inasmuch  as  they  were  ])retty  uniform  in  amount,  and  the 
nature  and  necessity  of  them  was  well  understood.  The 
Classes  were  distinctly  informed  that  having  once  paid  their 
quota  of  this  $20,000  they  should  hear  no  more  about  "contin- 
getit"  ex})enses,  except  so  far  as  their  proportion  of  the  ten  or 
twelve  hundred  dollars  needful  to  keep  the  Synod  in  running 
order  was  concerned.  But  our  quota  of  the  $20,000  w^as 
scarcely  warm  in  the  treasury  when  the  same  old  cry  was  ring- 
ing in  our  ears.  Synod  had  made  a  mistake.  Forty  instead 
of  twenty  thousand  dollars  were  needed  ;  and  besides  some  of 
the  Classes  had  refused  to  raise  their  proportion  of  even  that. 
So  late  as  in  June,  1868,  only  $1.5,716.73  had  been  received 
toward  the  full  $20,000.  Notwithstanding  this  neglect  of  the 
Classes,  the  Synod  went  on  increasing  its  annual  expenses, 
and,  in  violation  of  its  own  rule,  calling  all  its  arrearages 
"  Contingent  Ex])enses,"  and  assessing  them  upon  the  Classes 
in  such  a  way  as  to  put  those  who  had  paid  upon  the  same 
f  )oting  with  those  who  had  not.  For  instance,  in  1867  the 
"  contingent  exi)enses  "  of  Synod  amounted  to  $2,400,  one- 
thiid  of  which,  or  $800,  was  assigned  to  the  Particular  Synod 
of  Albany.  Of  this  sum,  the  Particular  Synod  set  off 
14.5  per  cent,  or  $116.00,  to  the  Classis  of  Orange. 
In  reference  to  this  assessment  Classis  took  the  following 
gr(»und  :  Synod  by  its  own  action  has  fixed  its  annual  con- 
tingent expenses  at  $1000,  more  or  less.  It  has  also  agreed 
that  its  other  expenses — those  that  are  not  contingent — shall 
be  paid  out  of  the  income  of  its  Permanent  Fund,  which  fund 
it  has    voted    to   increase   bv  the  sum    of  $20,000.      It  also 


24 

agreed  further  that  when  the  several  Classes  shall  have  paid  their 
quota  of  this  $20,000  increase,  they  sliall  be  exempt  from 
assessments  except  for  the  actual  contingent  expenses  of  the 
Synod.  The  Classis  of  Orange  has  ])aid  its  quota  of  that 
sum,  and  is  therefore  now  exempt  from  all  assessments  except 
for  14.5  percent,  not  of  one-third  of  $2400,  but  of  one-third 
of  $1000,  which  constitutes  the  leal  "contingent  expenses"  of 
the  Synod.  Instead  therefore  of  paying  $116,  we  will  pay 
$50.00,  which  is  a  trifle  more  than  14^  per  cent,  of  $1000. 
Another  thing  which  Classis  noted  was  this  :  No  credit  was 
given  to  Classis  for  the  annual  interest  of  the  $966.57,  which 
it  had  paid  as  its  quota  of  the  $20,000.  That  interest  was 
$67.65,  which,  added  to  the  $50  that  Classis  was  content 
to  pay,  amounted  to  $117.65,  or  just  thirty-five  cents  short 
of  the  acnial  assessment  of  the  Synod.  Of  course  Synod 
could  not  see  the  matter  from  the  Classis'  standpoint,  and 
so  credited  us  with  the  $50.00  paid,  and  charged  us  with 
the  remainder  In  1873  we  were  charged  in  the  Minutes 
with  an  arrearage  of  $151.68.  How  lung  the  Synod  may  find 
it  desirable  to  waste  Printers'  Ink  upon  this  annual  announce- 
ment, cannot  be  foretold.  We  are  annoyed  by  it,  but  still 
believe  we  are  right  in  our  refusal  lo  pay  it.  We  are  doing 
what  we  consider  to  be  our  duty  in  defence  of  the  churches 
under  our  oversight.  We  are  willing  and  glad  to  boar  our 
proportion  of  the  expenses  contingent  upon  the  Synod's  yearly 
iratherin"-.  And  if  an  increase  of  the  Permanent  Fund  is 
needed  to  meet  the  enlarging  demands  of  our  denominational 
work,  we  stand  ready  to  shoulder  our  })art  of  that  burden  also, 
whenever  it  shall  be  regularly  laid  upon  us. 


JUDICIAL   CASES. 

The  Classis  of  Orange  has  had  but  three  judicial  cases 
which  have  reached  the  higher  courts.  01  these,  however,  two 
at  least  have  attracted  wide  attention.  The  first  one  in  order 
is  that  of 


25 

MR.  ABRAHAM  CRIST. 

Mr.  C.  appealed  to  Classis  from  a  decision  of  the  Consistory 
of  the  Church  cjf  Montgomery,  in  a  case  tried  in  Consistory, 
April  29,  1834.  From  the  record  it  appears  that  Mr.  C.  be- 
ing a  baptized  member  of  the  Church  of  Montgomery,  but  not 
having  become  a  communicant  thereof,  requested  the  privilege 
of  presenting  his  children  for  baptism.  But  a  rule  of  Consis- 
tory required  that  applicants  for  that  privilege  should  submit 
to  an  examination,  the  nature  of  which  was  prescribed  in  a 
resolution  read  to  Mr.  Crist.  He  replied  saying  that  he  was 
willing  to  submit  to  the  examination,  but  that  it  would  be 
useless  in  his  case,  for  he  mad-  no  pretentions  to  the  "  faith  " 
and  "piety''  mentioned  in  the  resolution.  Thereupon,  Con- 
sistory i-efused  his  request.  From  this  refusal  he  appealed  to 
the  Classis. 

Classis,  by  a  vote  cf  seven  ayes  to  five  nays,  decided  not  to 
sustain  the  appeal.  From  this  point  the  record  of  this  case 
on  the  books  of  Classis  is  singularly  defective  and  confused. 
A  motion  was  made  to  re-consider  this  vote  not  to  sustain  the 
appeal,  pending  the  consideration  of  which,  the  commissioners 
ol  the  Consistory  who  were  on  the  floor  of  Classis  to  contest 
the  appeal,  claimed  a  right  to  vote  on  the  motion  to  reconsider. 
The  President  decided  that  they  had  such  a  right.  An  ap- 
peal was  taken  from  this  decision  of  the  chair,  which  was  not 
sustained,  and  the  commissioners  actu^dly  did  vote.  The  yeas 
and  nays  were  then  called  on  the  motion  to  reconsider,  and 
the  vote  resulted  in  nine  ayes  to  six  nays.  And  here  the 
Classical  record  stops.  As  it  stands,  a  vote  not  to  sustain  Mr, 
Crist' s  a[)peal  is  reconsidered,  and  that  is  all.  And  what 
thickens  the  muddle  is  that  this  motion  to  reconsider  is  car- 
ried by  the  votes  of  these  very  commissioners,  who  came  there 
to  secure  if  they  could,  the  very  decision  which  they  voted  to 
reconsider.  How  the  Synods  found  their  way  through  the 
labyrinth,  is  a  matter  of  astonishment.  No  mention  is  made 
of  Mr.  Crist's  appeal  from  this  action.  We  could  easily  im- 
asine  him  so  confounded  bv  the  reading  of  the  minutes  that 


26 

he  did  not  know  whether  or  not  an  appeal  was  necessary,  if 
we  did  not  find  under  the  head  of  "  Particularia,"  notice  of 
the  appointment  of  Revs.  Van Vechten  and  Lee  as  commis- 
sioners, to  defend  the  Classis  from  Mr.  C's  appeal  to  the  Par- 
ticular Synod  of  Albany. 

At  a  meeting  of  that  Body  in  Albany,  May  21,  1834,  the 
appeal  was  tried,  and  the  conclusion  reached  is  stated 
thus  : 

Whereas  :  It  appeared  to  the  satisfaction  of  this  Synod 
that  the  wife  of  the  appellant  is  a  member  in  fall  communion 
of  the  church,  and  that  the  Consistory  refused  to  allow  Mr. 
Crist  to  be  associated  with  her  in  presenting  their  children  for 
baptism,  therefore  : 

Resolved  :  That  the  ap})eal  be,  and  i.s  hereby  sustained. 

No  record  appears  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Particular  Synod 
of  any  notice  of  the  Consistory's  intention  to  carry  the  case 
any  further.  Still  an  appeal  was  taken  which  was  tried  by 
General  Synod,  at  its  session  in  New  York,  in  June,  1834. 
There  it  was  decided  that  inasmuch  as  Consistory  had  acted 
in  conformity  with  a  i-ecommendation  to  the  churches  jiassed 
by  Synod  in  1816,  the  appeal  must  be  sustained.  But  at  the 
same  time  the  Synod  voted  to  rescind  that  recommendation 
and  put  another  in  its  place.  Doubtless  Mr.  Crist  comforted 
himself  with  the  thought  that  lie  was  actually  right  though 
technically  wrong. 

THE  VAN  VECHTEN  CASE. 

There  had  been  but  little  change  in  the  original  personale  of 
Classis,  when  this  famous  contest  was  inaugurated.  Mr. 
Ward  had  been  dismissed  from  New  Prospect,  but  was  still  a 
member  of  Classis.  His  place  had  been  filled  by  Rev.  John 
T,  Demarest,  D.  D.,  the  only  clerical  member  of  the  Classis  en- 
gaged in  the  controversy  still  remaining  among  us.  Dr.  Dem- 
arest was  born  at  Teaneck,  near  Hackensack,  Bergen  Co.,  N. 
J.,  October  20,  1813.  His  preparatory  course  was  pursued  at 
Borland  &  Forest's  Collegiate  School  In  Warren  Street,  New 


27 

York  City.  He  entered  Rutger's  in  1830,  and  graduated  in 
course.  His  theological  education  was  finished  at  New- 
Brunswick  in  1837,  and  he  was  soon  after  licensed  by  the 
Classis  of  New  York.  In  November  of  the  same  year  he  was 
ordained  at  New  Prospect,  where  he  remained  till  April,  1850, 
when  he  was  called  to  Minnisink.  After  a  two  years'  service 
there  he  accepted  the  Principalship  of  the  Harrisburgh  Acade- 
my at  Harrisburgh,  Pa.,  whence,  in  1854,  he  went  to  Pascack, 
in  the  Classis  of  Paramus  where  his  pastorate  lasted  till  his 
broken  health  disqualified  him  from  further  service  in  1867. 
He  remained  without  charge  till  1870,  when  he  was  recalled 
to  his  old  charge  at  New  Prospect.  A  protracted  illness  of 
Mrs.  Demarest  forced  him  to  ask  for  a  dismissal  again  after  a 
year  ol  severe  labor.  Two  yeais  and  a  half  later,  that  church 
which  had  so  thoroughly  learned  his  worth,  for  the  third  time 
besouo-ht  liis  services.  It  is  seldom  that  thj  bond  between 
])astor  and  people  becomes  so  strong  as  to  outlast  these  re- 
pealed sunderings.  In  the  strife  that  was  so  early  precipita- 
ted upoi  the  young  pastor  he  took  sides  with  the  majority  of 
Classis  and  gave  to  it  the  benefit  of  his  fine  scholarship, 
his  thorough  acquaintance  with  doctrinal  truth,  and  his  firm 
adherence  to  the  "  form  of  sound  words." 

Rev.  J.  M.  Scribnt-r  was  [)astor  of  the  newly-formed  church 
of  Walden.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Union  College  in  1833, 
and  of  New  Brunswick  tSeminiry  in  1836.  His  first 
settlement  was  over  the  church  of  kSchoharie  in  1836,  whence, 
in  1839,  he  came  to  Walden,  where  he  remained  till  1842. 
For  the  ensuing  five  years  he  was  engaged  in  teaching  in  Au- 
burn and  Rochester.  Since  then  he  has  been  living  without 
charge  at  Middleburgh,  Schohaiie  County.  Mr.  Scribner 
sided  with  Mr.  VanVechten. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Eltinge  was  then  at  Deerpark.  He  was  a  native 
of  Ulster  county,  a  graduate  of  the  old  "Queen's  College  "  in 
New  York  City  in  1812,  and  of  New  Brunswick  Seminary  in 
1816.  He  began  his  ministry  in  the  Minnisink  and  Mahack- 
emack  churches  in  1817,  and  died  at  Port  Jervis  in  1843.  He 


28 

was  a  man  of  gr^^at  vigor,  both  intellectually  and  physically. 
He  did  not  delight  in  controversy,  but  could  strike  heavy 
blows  whenever  the  defence  of  the  truth  demanded  them. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Hyndshaw  was  pastor  of  the  Walpack  Church. 
His  connection  with  the  Dutch  Church  seems  to  have  begun 
and  terminated  with  his  })astorate  at  Walpack.  In  Classis 
he  was  ])n)mpt  and  efficient  in  the  discharge  of  duty,  and  was 
held  in  high  respect  by  his  colleagues.  He  was  President  of 
Classis  when  the  charge  of  schism  against  Mr.  VanVechten 
was  tried,  and  acquitted  himself  with  dignity  and  success. 

The  first  api)earance  of  this  case  upon  the  books  of  Classis 
is  in  the  minutes  of  a  Special  Meeting,  held  iu  the  Church  of 
Ellenville,  February  19,  1839.  The  meeting  was  called  to 
act  ui)on  a  request  for  the  dismissal  of  Rev.  J.  H.  Duryea 
from  his  pastoral  charge  of  the  church  of  Wawarsing.  That 
business  attended  to,  the  following  Preamble  and  Resolution 
were  adopted  : 

Whereas  :  Reports  are  in  circulation  that  certain  ministers 
have  been  introduced  into  the  church  of  Bloomingbuigh  of 
questionable  orthodoxy,  and  that  at  a  protracted  meeting  lately 
held  there,  certain  means  and  measures  have  been  employed 
contrary  to  the  usages  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  ;  there- 
fore, 

Resolved  :  That  a  committee  be  appointed  who  shall  visit 
said  church  and  make  inquiries  of  the  minister,  and  consistory 
of  said  church,  and  such  other  persons  as  the  committee  may 
judge  competent  sources  of  information  concerning  the  ortho- 
doxy of  the  ministers  who  have  officiated  during  the  late  pro- 
tracted meeting,  and  the  measures  which  were  employed,  and 
to  report  at  the  next  stated  meeting  of  Classis. 

The  committee  appointed  to  this  duty  consisted  of  Revs.  F. 
H.  Vandevere,  J.  B.  TenEyck,  and  the  Elder,  David  H. 
Smith  of  Montgomery.  The  date  of  their  visitation  was  fixed 
for  the  first  Monday  of  March  next,  "  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  and 


29 

if  the  weather  he  unfavorable,  the  next  day  at   10  o'clock,    a. 

Mr.  VanVechten  gave  notice  that  he  should  complain  of 
this  action  of  Classis. 

And  thus  the  contest  was  fairly  inaugurated.  Of  the  con- 
dition of  the  church  of  Bloomingburgh  at  this  time,  I  glean 
the  following  facts  from  the  Records  :  In  1834,  the  year 
after  the  Classis  was  organized,  that  church  reported  one 
hundred  and  fiity  members,  and  the  following  appears  concern- 
ing it  in  the  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  : 
''  There  appears  to  be  more  than  ordinary  attention  to  the 
great  concerns  of  the  soul.  An  unusual  anxiety  seems  to  })re- 
vail  to  wait  upon  and  to  derive  benefit  from  the  ordinary 
means  of  grace.  Meetings  for  preaching  and  prayer  are  well 
attended  and  ap{)arently  witli  deep  interest  ;  the  j)rayer  meet- 
ings especially  are  frequently  crowded,  and  often  solemn  and 
melting.  Individuals  have  b(!en  deeply  impressed  on  the  sub- 
ject of  their  soul's  salvation,  and  some  have  in  the  judgment 
of  charity  been  borne  again."' 

In  1836,  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  members  are  reported, 
and  in  1839,  an  addition  of  sixty-  two  members  is  given, 
making  at  that  date  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and  forty- 
eight. 

The  committee  tlius  aj)pointed,  made  their  report  at  the 
regular  tSi)ring  {Session,  at  New  Prospect,  April  30,  1839. 
They  had  gone  to  Bloomingburgh  on  the  5th  of  March,  1839, 
and  found  the  Pastor  sick  and  unable  to  meet  them.  They  had 
however  examined  certain  members  of  consistory  from  whom 
they  learned  that  during  the  late  piotracted  meeting  the 
Pastor  h;td  been  assisted  by  Eevs.  Laird,  Fairchild,  Wood, 
and  Eggleston.  Some  of  these  ministers  were  members  of  the 
New  School  party  .in  the  Presbyterian  church — a  fact,  of 
which  some  members  of  Consistory  were  aware,  and  others 
were  not.  The  theological  points  upon  which  inquiries  were 
made  by  the  committee,  were    the    "Imputation   of  Adam's 


30 

Sin,"  the  "  Atonement,''  and  ''  Man's  Inability/'  Upon 
these  subjects  one  EUler  affiiined  that  the  preaching  of  some 
of  these  ministers  wms  unsound  ;  others  had  not  noticed  that. 
All  but  one  of  the  Elders  had  known  of  special  attention  to 
the  subject  of  religion  before  the  protiacted  meeting,  and  that 
one  knew  knothing  about  it. 

It  was  also  affirmed  that  anxious  seats  had  been  used,  to 
which  all  were  in  a  general  way  invited,  and  then  some  had 
been  s))ecially  urged  by  the  ministers  going  to  thera  personal- 
ly. Persons  had  also  been  encouraged  to  ask  publicly  the 
prayers  of  ministers  and  others,  for  themselves  and  their 
friends.  The  meetings  had  been  continued  for  two  weeks  and 
one  day,  with  morning  and  evening  services,  and  one  week 
with  evening  services  only. 

One  of  the  Elders  had  understood  one  of  the  ministers  to 
say  that  "  the  doctrines  which  one-half  of  the  ministers 
preached  were  sending  souls  to  hell  by  thousands  every    day." 

The  committee  then  go  on  to  say  that  two  of  the  ministers 
thus  preaching  were  members  of  the  Presbytery  of  Hudson, 
which  Presbytery  had  published  a  [)ainphlet,  condemning  in 
language,  which  they  (the  committee)  quote,  doctrines  con- 
tained in  the  standards  of  the  Dutch  Church  ;  notably,  the 
doctrine  of  man's  inability,  in  a  state  of  natuie,  to  obey  God's 
law.  Of  Rev.  Mr.  Laird,  the  committee  had  evidence  to  show 
that  he  was  a  suspended  member  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  of  Hyde  Park — suspended  for  affirming  that  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Heidelbergh  Cati^chism  were  dangerous — a  tact 
known  to  Mr,  VanVechten  when  he  employed  Mr.  Laird. 

The  committee  further  state  that  "  Anxious  Seats  "  and 
"  Rising  for  Prayers  "  are  practices  contrary  to  the  customs 
and  usages  of  the  Dutch  Church,  and  they  depiecate  their  use 
as  tending  to  distract  men's  minds  from  the  truth  which  is 
God's  great  instrument  of  convertion,  and.  to  result  in  false 
hopes  and  the  filling  of  tin-  (tliurches  with  members  which  are 
not  necessarilly  an  element  of  strength.  They  close  by  offerino- 
the  following  ^.'solutions  : 


31 

Resolved  :  That  this  Classis  dtcidedly  disapproves  of  the 
conduct  of  the  minister  of  the  church  of  Bh)omingburgh  in  re- 
ceiving' into  his  pulpit  Mr.  Laird,  a  suspended  member  of  the 
church  of  Hyde  Park. 

Passed  by  fourteen  ayes  to  three  nays. 

Resolved  :  That  the  Classis  disapproves  of  the  following 
measures  pursued  at  the  late  protracted  meeting  in  Blooraing- 
biu'gh,  viz  :  The  use  of  anxious  seats  ;  personally  urging 
individuals  to  use  those  seats,  and  encouraging  individuals  to 
rise  in  their  places  in  the  church,  and  request  prayers  for  their 
friends  present  or  absent. 

Resolved :  That  the  introduction  ot  ministers  into  the  pulpits 
of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  who  differ  in  their  views  and 
practices  from  our  standards  and  usages,  is  decidedly  wrong, 
and  cannot  be  justified  by  our  articles  of  correspondence  with  the 
Presbyterian  Church  adopted  in  1842,  inasmuch  as  the  articles 
referred  to  contain  excejjtions  with  respect  tu  men  of  question- 
able orthodoxy. 

The  report  with  its  resolutions  was  tlien  adopted. 

In  addition  to  this  report  theie  were  laid  on  the  table  of 
Classis  the  following  papers  : 

1.  A  statement  troni  the  Consistory  of  the  church  of  Bloom- 
ingburgh,  which  was  however  withdrawn  by  the  consent  of 
Classis. 

2.  A  statement  signed  by  twenty-one  individuals,  styling 
themselves  "  members  and  ordinary  hearers  of  the  church  of 
Bloomingburgh." 

3.  A  like  stateuK^nt  signed  by  seven  •'  members  and  ordina- 
ry hearers  of  the  church  of  Bloominsiburgh." 

4.  A  similar  paper  signed  by  two  acting  and  one  ex-Elder 
of  the  church  of  Bloominoburgh. 

These  papers  were  referred  to  a  s])ecial  committee  consisting 
of  Revs.  Lee  and  Bevier,  and  Elder  J.  Decker,  of  New  Hurley. 


32 

who  were  to  report  upon  them  at  a  sjx'cial  meeting  to  be  held 
at  Bloomingburgh,  June  18,  1839,  for  which  meeting  they 
were  also  to  report  an  order  of  business. 

At  that  meeting  the  committee  reported,  describing  tlie 
papers  and  saying  that  their  allegations  were  of  a  general 
nature,  and  that  ;;ny  definite  action  concerning  them  was 
rendered  needless  by  the  decisive  utterances  of  Classis  at  its 
last  session. 

The  pajx-r  signed  by  the  Acting  Elders,  they  pronounced 
out  of  order  and  recommended  that  it  be  withdrawn. 

Still  there  was  one  charge  running  through  all  the  papers 
which  needed  attention,  viz  ;  that  "  the  preaching  in  the 
Bloomingburgh  church  has  been  for  some  time  past  incompatible 
with  the  standards  of  our  church."  This  charge  was  confirm- 
atory of  a  suspicion  prevalent  in  Classis,  that  the  Pastor  of 
the  Bloomingburgli  church  had  (lei)arted  from  the  faith,  and 
Classis  could  do  no  less  than  give  hnn  an  opportunity  to  ex- 
plain his  position,  and  if  he  could,  refute  the  suspicion.  Hence, 
they  advised  the  passage  of  the  following  resolutions  : 

Resolved  :  That  the  statement  in  the  memorials  present(^d 
to  the  Classis  at  its  last  meeting  signed  by  thirty-one  individ- 
uals belonging  to  the  church  and  congregation  of  Blooming- 
burgh, viz  :  "  that  in  their  ojjpinion,  the  preaching  in  their 
church  has  been  for  some  time  i)ast,  incom])atable  with  the 
standard  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  "  is  enoujrh 
to  awaken  suspicion  in  the  minds  of  the  members  of  this 
Classis,  that  the  Rev.  Samuel  VanVechten,  Pastor  of  said 
church  may  entertain  views  in  theology  that  conflict  with  our 
standards. 

Resolved  :  That  this  Classis  on  the  ground  of  such  sus- 
picion, proceed  to  interrogate  the  Rev.  Samuel  VanVechteuj 
on  the  following  points  of  doctrine  :  First.  Original  Sin,  em- 
bracing imputation  and  human  inability.  Second.  The 
Atonement,  particularly  in  reference  to  its  nature  and  extent. 
Third.  The  New  Birth. 


33 

Resolved  :  That  the  examination  be  conducted  by  a  minis- 
ter of  Classis  :  that  each  question  with  its  answer  be  pen- 
ned by  the  C'erk,  and  that  when  the  examination  is  completed 
the  Oiassis  proceed  to  deliberate  and  determine  upon  its 
character. 

Accordingly,  Rev.  F.  H.  Vandevere  was  a})pointed  exam- 
iner, and  the  interrogation  began.  But  a  single  question,  how- 
ever was  put,  when  Mr.  VanVechten  asked  for  time  to 
consider  the  topics  which  were  thus  to  be  reviewed.  This  re- 
quest was  granted,  and  the  investigation  was  adjourned  to  the 
next  Regular  Session  in  October. 

Mr.  V.  also  ask-.d  f  jr  a  Cf)py  of  the  questions  which  were  to 
be  proposed,  but  this  lequest  was  denied. 

A  special  meeting  ot  (Jlassis  was  called  at  Montgomery, 
July  23,  to  aiTange  for  the  installation  of  Rev.  J.  M.  tScribner, 
over  the  church  of  Wahhn,  and  the  occasion  was  used  to  give 
the  controversy  a  forward  push.  A  charge  against  Mr.  Van- 
Vechten, of  having  created  a  "  schism "  in  the  church  of 
Bloomingburgh,  was  presented,  signed  by  four  members  of 
that  chui-ch,  and  covering  the  following  specifications,  viz : 
iirst,  By  false  doctrine  ;  Second,  By  using  unusual  means 
and  measures  ;  Third,  By  neglecting  in  conjunction  with  the 
Consistory,  to  act  upon  a  proposal  to  take  steps  for  the  dismis- 
sal of  Mr.  V.  made  by  certain  members  of  the  church  ;  and 
Foui-tlt,  By  admitting  into  the  pulpib  Robert  Laird,  a  sus- 
pended member  of  the  Hyde  Park  church. 

There  was  also  presented  an  appeal  of  Elder  Lucas  Hard- 
ino-  from  a  decision  against  him  by  ttie  Consistory  of  the 
Bloomingburgh  church. 

These  papers  were  read,  and  then  it  was 

■•Resolved  :  That  a  special  meeting  of  Classis  be  held 
in  the  church  ot  Bloomingburgh  on  the  first  Tuesday  of 
September  next,  at  10  1-2  a.  m.,  for  the  purpose  of  trying  the 
appeal  of  Lucas  Harding,  and  also  to  receive  the  answer  of 


34 

the    Rev.  Samuel  VanVecliten  to  the  charge  of  schism  pre- 
ferred by  Cornelius  Brink  and  others." 

Accordingly,  at  the  time  appointed  the  api)eal  of  Elder  Hard- 
ing was  put  upon  trial.  The  papers  in  the  ca.se  as  it  was 
tried  in  Consistory  on  the  14th  of  June,  were  submitted  to 
(Jlassis.  From  these  it  appears  that  Mr.  Harding  was  ac- 
cu.sed  oi  falsehood  in  various  statements  which  he  had  made 
concerning  the  difficulty  in  the  church.  Evidence  to  this 
Ltfect  was  given  to  Consistory,  when  Mr.  Harding  confessed  his 
<'uilt  and  consented  that  his  confession  should  be  read  from  the 
pulpit.  Whereupon  the  Consistory  adjourned  the  trial  till  after 
the  meeting  of  Classis  on  the  approaching  18th  of  June.  This 
adjournment  looks  at  this  distiince  like  a  i)iece  of  sharp  prac- 
tice on  the  part  of  Consistory  as  though  they  would  hold  the 
rod  over  the  ]-ecalcitrant  Elder's  head  and  put  him  upon  his 
good  behavior  at  the  meeting  of  Classis.  But  if  they  had 
any  such  ])urpose  it  was  a  failure,  for  at  that  meeting  he  })re- 
sented  a  statement  charging  unsoundness  upon  his  jjastor, 
but  in  such  an  informal  way  that  Classis  gave  him  i)ermission 
to  withdraw  it. 

Two  days  after  the  meeting  of  Classis^  Consistory  met  again, 
took  up  the  case  where  they  had  left  it  and  proceeded  to  depose 
Mr.  Harding  from  his  office  and  to  suspend  him  from  the  com- 
ujuniim.  It  was  from  this  sentence  that  Mr.  H.  appealed,  and 
it  was  this  aiij)eal  which  Classis  was  now  to  try. 

After  getting  at  all  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  hearing  the  par- 
ties in  full,  Classis  voted  to  sustain  the  a])peal,  and  restore 
Mr.  Harding  to  his  office,  thus  i-eversing  the  decision  of  the 
Consistory.  Thereupon  the  Consistory  gave  notice  that  they 
should  api)eal  to  the  Bariicular  iSynod  of  Albjiii).  Revs.  Ten 
Eyck  and  Vandevere  were  ajjpointed  commissioners  tc  de- 
fend the  Classis  when  the  case  should  come  up  in  Synod. 

And  I  may  here  say  that  not  having  access  to  the  minutes 
of  the  Particular  Synod  of  Albany,  for  the  year  1840.  I  do 
not  know  what    b(^came  of  this  appeal  when  it  ri^ached  that 


35 

body.       No  further   reference  is  made  to  it  in  the  minutes  of 
Classis,  and  it  certainly  did  not  reach  General  Synod. 

This  matter  disposed  of,  Mr.  VanVechten's  answer  to  the 
charge  of  public  schism  was  taken  up.  It  was  long  and 
minute.  He  first  denies  the  competence  of  one  of  his  accusers. 
She  charges  him  with  preaching  heresy,  and  yet  has  not  been 
to  church  in  two  years,  and  besides  is  under  censure  of  Consis- 
tory. 

The  indictment  is  irregular  :  it  should  have  been  made  be- 
fore Consistory,  the  constitutional  guardians  of  the  pulpit. 

One  count  in  the  indictment  is  indefinite,  not  specifying 
what  is  objectionable,  nor  giving  time  or  place  of  the    offense. 

Another  count  is  outlawed,  the  offence  not  having  been  com- 
plained of  within  the  prescribed  period. 

The  complaint  that  he  had  not  heeded  the  request  for  a 
dismissal,  lies  not  against  him  but  Consistory,  inasmuch  as  the 
request  was  preferred  to  Consistory  and  not  to  him  individual- 

ly. 

And  further  :  he  was  willing  to  leave  whenever  the  interests 
of  the  church  demanded  ;  but  who  was  to  decide  that  point, 
the  large  majority  who  said  stay,  or  the  small  minority  who 
said  go  ? 

And  lastly,  the  ofifenSe  of  having  admitted  Mr.  Laird  to  his 
pulpit  had  been  already  adjudicated  by  Classis.  And  not  that 
alone,  but  he  stood  ready  to  prove  that  Mr.  Laird,  when  he 
came  into  the  Bloomingburgh  pulpit,  was  a  minister  in  good 
and  regular  standing  in  the  Presbyterian  church  with  whom 
we  were  on  terms  of  correspondence,  and  he  had  no  right  to 
go  behind  Mr.  L's  credentials  and  examine  his  record. 

If  indeed  a  schism  existed  it  was  contrary  to  his  wish  and 
intention.  He  had  preached  conscientiously  what  he  believed 
to  be  the  truth,  and  the  truth  faithfully  preached  was  apt  to 
produce  schism. 

The  vote  to  sustain  this  answer  was  lost  by  fifteen  to  four. 


36 


The  trial  then  proceeded  in  due  form.     Mr.  V.  was.  allowed 
to  have  all  questions  recorded  which  he  deemed  important. 

Mrs.  E.  VanWyck  was  recommended  to  Avithdraw  her  name  i 
from  the  charges,  and  did  so. 

Various  witnesses  testified  to  a  dissatisfaction  existing'  in 
the  congregation  and  church,  growing  out  of  the  management 
of  the  protracted  meeting.  Some  were  dissatisfied  with  the 
doctrines  pixache-d,  and  some  with  the  means  and  measures 
used.  Mr.  VanVechten  cross-questioned  freely,  and  then  pre- 
sented a  memorial  signed  by  more  than  two  hundred  names, 
together  with  a  certificate  signed  by  a  Rev.  Mr.  Halliday,  ex- 
pressing confidence  in  Mr.  VanVechten.  These  papers  were 
ruled  out  as  incompetent  testimony,  and  the  decision  ruling 
them  out  having  been  appealed  from,  was  sustained  by  a  vote 
of  twelve  to  three.  The  treasurer  of  Consistory  testified  that 
the  thirty-one  who  signed  the  charge  against  the  pastor  last 
year  paid  $107  of  the  salary,  and  he  thought  there  would  be 
no  difHculty  in  raising  the  salary  if  they  drew  off  altogether. 
When  the  testimony  was  all  in,  Chassis  deliberated,  and 

Resolved  :  That  in  the  judgment  of  this  Classis  there  is  a 
public  schism  in  the  Reformed  Dutch  church  and  congrega- 
tion of  Bloomingburgh. 

This  resolution  was  cairied  by  thirtt^en  ayes  to  four  nays. 

Resolved  :  That  inasmuch  as  it  is  objected  by  the  accused 
that  some  of  the  specifications  contained  in  tiie  charges  intro- 
duced to  Classis,  are  not  sufficiently  definite,  therefore  Classis 
will  not  proceed  to  the  further  investigation  at  present.     And 

Whereas  :   The  accusers  have  no  i-equest  to  make, 

Resolved:  That  the  Classis  considers  them  as  haviin'-  re- 
linquished the  case  in  its  present  form. 

The  examination  vi'  Mr.  VanVechten  ordered  at  the  meet- 
ing of  June  18,  was  taken  up  ni  the  Fall  Session,  at  New 
Hurley,  October  15,  1831). 


37 

Mr.  V.  offered  a  written  statement  of  his  views  upon  the 
points  in  question,  but  it  was  declined. 

He  then  formally  denied  the  right  of  Classis  to  interrogate 
him  ;  but  said  that  if  Classis  insisted  he  would  answer  from 
the  Bible  and  the  standards  of  the  church. 

Nineteen  questions,  covering  the  doctrines  of  "'  Original 
Sin,"  "  Imputation,"  '•  Inability,"  ''  Election,"  and  "  Atone- 
ment" were  then  put  and  replied  to,  chiefly  by  texts  of  Scrip- 
ture and  quotations  from  the  catechism. 

This  ended,  Mr.  V.  again  offered  his  written  statement 
which  was  again  rejected  by  a  vote  of  twelve  to  eight.  The 
Classis  then 

Resolved:  That  the  answers  of  Rev.  S.  VanVechten  in- 
stead of  being  explanatory  of  his  views  of  doctrine  on  the  sub- 
jecis  propos^-d  by  Classis,  are  evasions  and  cannot  therefore 
be  considered  satisfactory. 

Resolved  :  That  Rev.  S.  VanVechten  has  by  these  evasions 
refused  to  give  the  explanation  of  his  sentiments  required  by 
Classis  on  the  subjects  of  "  Original  Sin,"  the  '•'  Atonement  " 
and  the  "•  New  Birth  ;''  that  according  to  the  penalty  con- 
tained in  the  formula  for  ministers,  required  to  be  signed  by 
the  Constitution  of  the  Dutch  Church,  and  signed  by  Rev.  S. 
VanVechten,  he  is  ipso  facto,  suspended  from  the  office  of  the 
ministry. 

These  resolutions  were  passed  by  a  vote  of  fifteen  ayes  to 
two  nays. 

Mr.  VanVechten  gave  notice  of  an  appeal  to  the  Particular 
Synod  of  Albany. 

This  appeal  was  presented  to  Classis  at  an  extra  session, 
appointed  for  the  purpose,  at  Bloomingburgh,  November  12, 
1839.  Revs.  Vandevere  and  Lee  were  appointed  commission- 
ers to  conduct  the  case  for  Classis  in  the  Particular  Synod. 

The  appeal  came  up  in  the  Particular  Synod  of  Albany  at 
a  special  mteting  called  to  consider  it,  November    19,    1839. 


38 

The  Synod  sustained  the  appeol  by  a  vote  of  fourteen  to  four, 
but  made  no  formal  statement  .»f  the  reasons  on  wliich  their 
decision  was  based.  The  commissioners  gave  notice  of  an  ap- 
peal to  General  Synod. 

The  commissioners  made  their  otficial  return  to  Classis  at  a 
special  session,  called  at  Newburgh,  December  31,  1839.  At 
this  meeting  the  formal  appeal  from  this  decision  uf  Particular 
Synod,  together  with  a  recitation  of  the  reasons  and  motives 
for  it,  was  presented  and  adopted,  and  then  the  further  con- 
sideration of  the  matter  was  postponed  to  the  regular  semi- 
annual meeting. 

This  meeting  was  held  at  Newburgh,  April  21,  1840.  Here 
another  turn  to  the  wheel  within  a  wheel,  wh^ch  seems  to  have 
characterized  the  case  from  end  to  end,  was  given  by  a  paper 
sent  up  from  the  Consistory  of  Bloianingbnrgh,  asking  Classis 
what  they  should  do.  They  had  tabled  charges  against  a 
member  of  the  church,  of  non-attendance  upon  the  services 
and  ordinances,  and  she  had  plead  sickness  in  her  family  pre- 
vious to  the  last  six  months,  and  since  then  she  had  staid 
away  through  a  suspicion  of  the  pastor's  orthodoxy.  Classis 
advised  that  the  tirst  reason  was  valid  so  long  as  it  lasted,  and 
that  the  last  one  rested  on  good  grounds.  Hence  Consistory 
should  let  the  case  rt^-st  till  the  susjucions  regarding  the 
pastor's  unsoundness  weie  confirmed  or  dissipated.  Ou7'  ver- 
dict is  :  Served  them  right,  for  not  issuing  the  case  in  the 
lower  court  before  sending  it  to  a  higher. 

Revs.  Ward  and  TenEyck  were  appointed  commissioners  to 
prosecute  the  appeal  from  Particular  Synod  on  the  tloor  of 
General  Synod. 

The  appeal  came  up  in  Synod  at  its  session  in  June,  1840, 
and  resulted  in  the  passage  of  the  following  : 

liesulved  :  That  the  appeal  of  the  Classis  of  Orange  from 
the  decision  of  the  Particular  Synod  of  Albany  be  not  sus- 
tained ;  because  in  the  opinion  of  the  Synod,  Rev.  S.  Van 
Vechten  did  not  so  refuse  explanation  on  the  points  on  which 


39 

he  was  suspected,  as  to  subject  himself  to  suspension  without 
trial  according  to  the  provision  of  the  formula.  This  resolu- 
tion was  passed  by  a  vote  of  thirty-seven  ayes  to  twenty-nine 
nays. 

Resolved  :  That  in  view  of  the  circumstances  of  the  case, 
the  Classis  of  Orange  be  directed,  unless  the  Rev.  Mr.  Van 
Vechten  shall,  by  "  further  explanation,"  as  contemplated  in 
the  formula,  give  them  satisfaction  respecting  his  orthodoxy 
on  those  |)oints,  respecting  which  there  is  sufficient  ground  of 
suspicion,  (for  wliich  \\  full  and  fair  opportunity  shall  be 
given  him)  to  cause  charges  to  be  regularly  tabled  against  him, 
and  that  they  proceed  to  try  the  same  in  a  regular  and  con- 
stitutional manner. 

This  resolution  passed  by  a  vote  of  thirty-nine  yeas  to  thir- 
ty nays. 

To  carry  out  the  direction  in  the  above  resolution,  a 
special  meeting  of  Classis  was  held  at  New  Prospect,  com- 
mencing August  25th,  and  continuing  till  the  27th.  Mr. 
Van  Vechten  presented  a  bulky  document  discussing  at  length 
ihe  direction,  as  indicated  by  the  phraseology  of  Synod's  res- 
olution, which  his  examination  should  take  ;  and  then  com- 
ing down  to  the  merits  ot  the  case,  he  spread  out  his  views 
under  the  three  general  heads  of  ''  Original  Sin,"  "  Atone- 
ment," and  "  Regeneration."  His  views  as  thus  stated,  would 
seem  to  be  a  modified  Calvinism,  and  are  essentially  such  as 
were  held  by  the  more  conservative  wing  of  the  New  School 
Presbyterian  Church;  essentially  those  for  the  holding  of  which 
Lyman  Beecher,  and  Albert  Barnes,  were  two  or  three  years 
befoi  e  on  trial  in  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly.  They 
are  views  which  would  undoubtedly, be  indorsed  by  the  great 
body  of  "  Old  School"  ministry  in  the  Congregational  Church 
throughout  New  Eeno-land. 

The  document  was  read  and  referred  to  a  special  committee, 
consisting  oi  Revs.  C.  C.  Elting,  R.  P.  Lee,  and  J.  T.  Dem- 
arest,  and  the  Elders  N.  Millsjjaugh,  of  Walden,  and  R.  Har- 


40 

denbergh  of  Shcawangunk.  They  reported  that  the  prelimi- 
nary portion  was  irrelevant  ;  that  his  views  of  Original  Sin 
and  Imputation,  while  not  as  strong  as  could  be  desired,  were 
still  not  discordant  with  our  standards  ;^  that  his  views  of  In- 
ability condicted  with  those  standards,  and  that  his  views  of 
New  Birth  were  indefinate.  They  therefore  recommended  the 
following  : 

Resolved:  That  Mr.  VanVechten  be  now  interrogated  on 
the  above-named  subjects  ("  Human  Ability,"  the  "  Atone- 
ment" and  '^  Regeneration.") 

To  seven  questions  which  followed,  Mr.  V.  successively 
answered  :  "  I  take  exception  to  an  oral  examination."  He 
then  asked  that  these  questions  might  be  put  in  writing,  and 
promised  to  give  written  answers  to  them  in  as  short  a  time 
as  possible.  This  request  was  refused  and  he  asked  that  the 
refusal  might  be  put  upon  the  record.      It  was  tiien 

Resolved  :  That  the  above  questions  be  furnislied  to  Mr. 
V.  and  that  he  be  required  to  give  verl)al  answers  to  them 
this  evening  at  8  o'clock. 

Of  the  answers  returned  in  coni])liance  with  this  order.  Classis 
decided  that  four  were  satisfactory,  two  unsatisfactory,  and 
two  evasive.  It  was  therefore  decided  that  these  last  tour  ques- 
tions should  again  be  put  and  answers  demanded.  But  Mr.  V. 
ao-ain  objected  to  an  oral  examination.  He  was  then  allowed 
to  put  in  any  written  statement  touching  the  business  in  hand 
which  he  pleased  to  oifei-. 

Mr.  V.  thereupon  in  writing  adverted  to  the  rejected 
answers  in  order,  and  asked  to  be  intormed  specifically  wherein 
they  were  defective.  He  did  not  mean  to  evade  a  direct  and 
lull  reply,  and  if  Classis  would  jtoint  t)ut  the  evasion  he  would 
do  his  best  to  satisfy  their  minds.  He  closed  by  saying  :  'If 
the  Classis  wish  me  to  give  my  views  more  at  length  in  writ- 
ino-  I  am  perfectly  willing  to  do  so,  if  time  is  allowed  me,  or 
if  time  be  not  allowed,  that  changes  be  tabled  acn-ording  to  the 
direction  of  General  Synod." 


41 

The  whole  matter  was  then  referred  to  a  committee  consist- 
ing of  Revs.  Lee,  Vandevere  and  Eltinge,  and  the  Elders 
-Maule  and  Hardenhergh.  They,  after  reiterating  the  dissatis- 
faction of  Classis  with  the  examination,  and  quoting  the  au- 
thority of  the  Formula,  recommended  the  adoi)tion  of  the 
following  : 

Resolved  :  That  Kev.  Samuel  VanVechten  he,  and  hereby 
IS,  declared  to  be  ipso  facto,  suspended  from  the  office  of  the 
ministiy. 

This  report  and  resolution  were  adopted  ;  ayes  twelve,  noes 
two. 

And  so  the.  planet  had  revolved  and  again  come  round  to  its 
aphelion.  Of  course  an  appeal  was  the  next  thing  in  order. 
Mr.  V.  gave  the  usual  notice  and  Classis  adjourned. 

On  the  4th  of  Sejitember  following,  within  the  constitution- 
al ten  days,  Mr.  V.  notified  the  president  that  he  should 
comi)lain  to  General  Synod  of  the  action  of  Classis  at  the  fore- 
going meeting.  This  complaint  was  presented  to  Classis  at  a 
special  meeting  lield  at  Port  Jervis,  September  22,  and  was 
ordered  to  be  entered  upon  the  minutes. 

Having  thus  insured  the  regularity  of  his  own  complaint, 
Mr.  VanVechten  immediately  ])ut  in  a  written  request  that  he 
mightbe  allowed  to  wi  tlidiaw  it,  and  substitute  for  it  a  complaint 
covering  the  same  ground  much  more  fully,  but  signed  by  J. 
M.  Scribuer,  minister,  and  G.  S.  Corwin,  elder,  constituting, 
as  they  styled  themselves,  "a  minority  of  the  Classis  of 
Orange,"  and  directed  not  to  General  but  to  Particular  Synod, 
an  exti-a  meeting  of  which  was  called  for  October  14,  1840 
at  Albany.  Classis  consented  to  the  exchange,  and  the  new 
complaint  was  read.  It  was  a  formidable  document  contain- 
ing thirty-one  specifications  carefully  elaborated. 

In  addition  to  this  Mr.  VanVechten  g;:ive  notice  of  a  com- 
plaint, signed  by  himself  as  pastor,  and  G.  S.  Corwin,  elder  of 
the  church  of  Bloomingburgh,  directed  to  the  Particular 
Synod,  and  covering  the  acts  and  proceedings  of  Classis  in  the 


42 

case  from  1838  to  the  present  time.  It  is  wise  for  the  soldier 
to  be  well  armed.  If  the  rifle  misses,  the  blunderbuss  may 
not. 

Revs.  Lee  and  Vandevere  were  commissioned  to  defend  the 
Classis  against  the  appeal,  and  these  two  complaints  in  the 
approaching  session  of  Particular  Synod. 

The  Synod  took  up  the  cases  at  its  meeting  on  the  14th  of 
October.  It  refused  to  entertain  the  complaint  of  the 
"  minority  of  Classis,"  on  the  ground  of  irreguhirity,  in  that 
due  constitutional  notice  of  it  had  not  been  given  to  Classis. 
Mr.  V.  gave  his  customary  notice  of  an  appeal  from  that  de- 
cision to  General  Synod. 

Mr.  VanVechten's  own  appeal  from  the  decision  of  Classis 
suspending  him  from  the  ministry,  was  then  tried  and  sustain- 
ed by  a  vote  of  eleven  to  six.  From  this  decision  the 
commissioners  of  Classis,  in  their  turn,  gave  notice  of 
an  appeal.  Having  thus  got  the  case  safely  into  General 
Synod,  Mr.  V.  withdrew  the  complaint  of  the  pastor  and  elder 
of  the  church  of  Bloomingburgh.  It  was  nut  only  a  spare 
gun  but  a  useless  one  now. 

The  Classis,  at  its  regular  session  in  the  Shawangunk 
church,  October  20,  heard  the  report  of  the  commissioners, 
drew  up  and  adopted  an  appeal  to  the  next  Stated  Synod  of 
General  Synod,  and  appointed  Rev.  J.  T.  Demarest  and  Rev. 
C.  C.  Eltinge  to  prosecute  it. 

An  extra  meeting  of  General  Synod  was  called  at  Albany, 
November  10,  1840,  "  fjr  the  purpose  of  trying  an  appeal  of 
a  minority  of  the  Classis  of  Orange,  from  the  decision  of  the 
Particular  Synod  of  Albany,  in  October,  1840,  and  to  attend 
to  any  business  in  the  case  (jf  the  Rev.  Samuel  VanVechten." 

"  On  motion,  it  was 

Resolved  :  That  in  view  of  the  i)ecnliar  importance  and 
difficulty  of  the  matters  expected  to  come  before  tliis  Synod, 
the  Synod  will  sjjcnd  an  hour  in  devotional  services." 


43 

The  Synod  then  proceeded  to  the  trial  which  resulted  in  the 
sustaining  of  the  appeal  by  a  vote  of  tifty  to  two. 

■  Then  came  a  memorial  of  which  no  record  was  made  in 
Classis,  addressed  to  General  Synod,  and  signed  by  Rev.  S. 
VanVechten,  and  concurred  in  by  the  Consistory  of  the  chnrch 
of  Bloomingburgh.  So  much  of  this  as  exhibited  the  theoloo-- 
ical  views  of  Mr.  V.  was  "referred  to  a  special  committee,  con- 
sisting of  Revs.  James  Lillie,  Jno.  Knox,  D.  D.,  Jno.  Van 
Wagenen,  and  the  Elders  William  B.  Crosby  and  Richard  V. 
Dewitt,  who  reported  the  following  : 

Resolved  :  That  though  there  are  some  exceptional  expres- 
sions in  the  statements  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  VanVechten,  yet 
the  explanations  given  by  him  of  his  doctrinal  views  on  the 
subjects  of  original  sin,  the  atonement  and  regeneration,  are, 
in  the  judgment  of  this  Synod,  satisfactory,  and  such  as  should 
entitle  him  to  the  confidence  of  the  Dutch  Church.  This  re- 
port was  ado])ted  by  forty-six  ayes  to  ten  noes. 

The  following  resolutions  were  then  adopted  : 

Resolved  :  That  the  minority  of  the  Classis  of  Orange  be 
requested  to  withdraw  their  complaint  now  on  the  table  of 
Synod,  and  that  the  Classis  .of  Orange  be  requested  by  this 
Synod  to  refrain  from  prosecuting  an  appeal  from  the  recent 
decision  of  the  Particular  Synod  of  Albany,  restoring  Rev.  S. 
VanVechten  to  the  exercise  of  the  ministry,  and  that  thus  all 
further  agitation  of  the  case  may  cease.- 

Thus  matters  stood  till  at  a  special  meetinof  of  Classis  held 
at  Bloomingburgh,  January  26,  1841,  Mr.  VanVechten  was 
dismissed  I'rom  his  ])astorate  there,  upon  a  joint  application 
of  himself  and  his  Consistory. 

The  regular  Spring  session  of  Classis  convened  at  Berea, 
April  20,  1841.  At  that  meeting  the  resolution  of  General 
Synod,  counseling  an  arrest  of  proceedings  against  Mr.  V., 
and  also  his  memorial  to  Synod  explaining  his  theological 
views,  were  referred  to  a  committee  consisting  of  Revs.  Van- 
devere  and  Eltinge,  and  the  Elder,  J.  S.  Decker,  who  reported 


44 

resolutious  declaring  Mr.  VanVechten's  explanations  to  be 
still  unsatisfactory,  and  that  Classi.s  felt  itself  boaiid  to  ])rose- 
cute  the  appeal.  These  resolutions  were  passed  by  fourteen 
ayes  to  two  nays.  .Uevs.  Eltin<2;e  and  Deraarest  were  named 
commissioners  to  conduct  the  case  for  Classis  in  General 
Synod,  and  Revs.  Vandevere  and  Bevier  in  Particular  ^ynod, 
"  should  their  services  be  needed." 

In  the  Particular  Synod  of  Albany  in  session  at  Schenecta- 
dy, May  5,  1841,  it  was 

Resolved  :  That,  as  the  sense  of  this  Synod,  it  is  competent 
for  the  minority  (of  the  Classis  of  Orange)  to  present  their 
complaint  immediately  to  General  Synod. 

Actino"  iipon  this  instruction,  the  minority  appeared  on  the 
floor  of  Synod,  at  Albany  in  June,  1841,  and  had  their  com- 
plaint referred  to  Synod's  committee  on  "  Overtures  and  Judi- 
cial Business,"  who  re[)orted  that  ihe  complaint,  although 
dated  nearly  a  month  after  the  proceedings  complained  of,  was 
yet  in  order,  because  Classis  had  voluntarily  received  it  as  a 
substitute  for  one  of  which  seasonable  notice  had  been  given. 
This  report  was  adopted  and  the  trial  began. 

When  the  papers  in  the  case  had  been  read  and  counsel 
heard,  it  was  decided  to  arrest  proceedings,  and  take  up  the 
appeal  of  Classis  from  the  decision  of  Paiticular  Synod,  till 
having  brought  that  up  to  the  same  point,  the  two  could  be 
adjtidicated  together.  This  done,  Synod  resolved  not  to  sus- 
tain the  appeal  of  Classis  for  reasons  which  it  states,  and  to 
sustain  the  complaint  so  far  as  the  same  reasons  are  ajjplica- 
ble.  It  declined  to  decide  again  the  matter  of  Mr.  Van 
Vech ten's  theological  views,  inasmuch  as  it  had  once  examined 
and  aproved  them.  It  also  gives  credit  to  the  purity  of  in- 
tention on  the  part  of  Classis  in  its  ^irosecution  ot  the  case. 

This  conclusion  was  reached  by  a  vote  ot  forty- three  to 
twenty-one. 

These  results  of  Synod's  deliberations  were,  at  a  s|)ecial 
meeting  of  Classis,  held  at  Newburgh,  July  27,  1841,  put  into 


45 

the  hands  of  a  committee  to  report  upon  at  the  next  regular 
session.  Meantime,  Mr.  V.  had  received  and  accepted  a  call 
-to  the  Reformed  Church  of  Fort  Plain,  and  at  this  meeting 
asked  to  be  dismissed  to  the  Classis  of  Montgomery.  Classis 
decided  to  give  him  his  dismissal  but  not  the  customary  re- 
comn^endation  as  being  in  good  and  regular  standing. 

At  a  s])ecial  session  of  General  Synod,  held  in  New  York 
in  September,  1841,  a  memorial  was  presented,  signed  by  the 
Consistory  of  the  church  of  Fort  Plain,  and  by  Mr.  Van- 
Vechten,  narrating  the  facts  of  Mr.  V's  position,  and  of 
Classis  refusal,  and  asking  relief  This  paper  went  to  Revs. 
Peter  Labaugh,  R.  D.  VanKleek  and  Elder  Geo.  Zabriskie, 
as  a  special  committee.  By  their  advice,  Synod  directed 
Classis  to  give  Mr.  V.  a  certificate  in  the  usual  form,  and 
recommended  him  to  the  confidence  of  the  churches. 

By  the  time  (October  19,  1841,)  Classis  was  in  condition  to 
act  upon  this  direction.  Mr.  V.  had  been  received  by  the 
Classis  of  Montgomery,  and  installed  over  the  church  of  Fort 
Plain,  notice  of  which  fact  had  been  given  to  the  public 
through  the  columns  of  the  Christian  Intelligencer.  Classis 
adverted  to  this  action,  and  declared  that  it  rendered  any 
further  proceedings  on  its  part  superfluous. 

From  this  point,  this  protracted  and  much-tried  case  disap- 
peared from  the  floors,  both  of  Synods  and  Classis,  and  the 
churches  had  rest.  The  church  of  Bloomingburgh  remained 
in  a  distracted  condition  for  a  year  or  two,  when  it  settled 
quietly  down  upon  the  Rev.  Dr.  S.  W.  Mills,  then  a  mere 
youth,  fresh  from  the  seminary,  but  who  was  divinely  enabled 
to  mingle  so  much  of  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  with  the 
harmlessness  of  the  dove,  that  the  Voiled  and  restless  waters 
presently  became  clear  and  still.  It  is,  however,  doubtful  if 
that  church  has  even  yet  fully  recovered  from  this  terrible  con- 
test. Though  the  wounds  have  healed  the  scars  remain.  The 
bitterness  and  jealousies  of  such  a  warfare  are  long-lived.  In 
this  case  a  rival  organization  of  another  name,  taking  advan- 


46 

tage  of  this  strife,  came  in  and  divided  the  ground,  and  weaken- 
ed the  forces  of  the  afflicted  cluirch  ;  friends  were  alienated, 
enemies  gratified,  spirituality  deadened,  and  the  growth  of  the 
church  hindered  for  years.  Though  its  health  is  now  fully 
restored,  it  is  duubtlul  it  its  old  vigor  is  regained.  The  shock 
was  too  severe. 


THE  CONNITT  CASE. 

This  case,  now  one  of  the  "  Causes  Celebres"  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal juiisprudonce,  made  its  first  public  appearance  at  the 
re"-ular  Fall  session  of  Cassis,  October  20,  1868.  when  a  com- 
munication  was  received  and  referred  to  the  committee  on 
Judicial  Business,  signed  by  certain  persons  calling  themselves 
"  Consistory  and  members  of  the  church  and  congregation  of 
New  Prospect,"  The  committee  reported,  describing  the 
paper,  and  adverting  to  Mr.  Conuitt's  absence,  from  Classis  ad- 
vised that  a  committee  should  visit  New  Prospect,  confer  with 
the  parties  and  report  to  Classis  at  an  adjourned  meeting  to 
be  holden  at  New  Prospect,  on  the  17th  of  November.  This 
report  was  adopted,  and  Kevs.  TenEyck  and  kSchoonraaker, 
and  Elders  John  Lyon  and  H.  Crowell  were  appointed  as 
such  conuuittee. 

At  the  tims  and  place  appointed,  the  above  committee  re- 
ported that  they  had  visited  New  Prospect,  on  October  30, 
and  conferred  with  certain  members  of  the  Consistory,  but 
not  with  Mr.  C,  who,  in  a  written  communication  to  the  com- 
mittee declined  to  be  present,  and  gave  his  reasons  therefor. 
This  communication  was  included  in  the  committee's  re])ort, 
the  reading  of  which  was  interrupted  to  hear  verbal  state- 
ments of  Elder  Parliman  and  Mr.  Connitt,  who  were  both  in 
Classis.  When  these  were  heard,  the  committee  n^sumed  the 
reading  of  then-  report,  advising  that  the  parties  be  urged  to 
seek  a  separation.     This  report  was  adopted. 

The  case  was  next  touched  in  Classis  at  its  regular  session 
in  Newburgh,  A])ril  20,  18(J9.     Mr.  C.  then  put  in   a  state- 


47 

ment  of  the  fact  that  his  Consistory  had  declined  to  discharge 
the  dut-es  of  their  office.  Subsequently,  at  the  same  meeting, 
Mr.  C.  withdrew  this  paper,  and  preferred  a  charge  of  faithless 
desertion  of  office  against  certain  members  of  Consistory,  who 
had  ]-efused  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their  office,  so  long  as 
Mr.  Connit  remained  Pastor  of  the  church.  The  Classis 
ordered  this  charge  to  be  put  in  readiness  for  trial  at  an  ad- 
journed meeting  of  Classis  to  be  holden  at  New  Prospect,  May 
3,  1869. 

At  that  meeting  a  committee  consisting  of  Revs.  Mande- 
ville,  Comfort  and  Brown,  and  the  Elders  Lyon,  Tannery  and 
Millspaugh,  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  parties,  and  en- 
deavor to  settle  the  dispute.  The  committee  reportod  that 
their  efforts  wi.'re  in  vain.  Classis  then  proceeded  to  trial. 
The  charges  having  been  read,  it  was  voted  to  lay  them  on 
the  table,  on  the  ground  of  irregularity  in  the  form  of  them. 
The  fallowing  resolutions  were  then  passed  : 

Resolved  :  That  the  Elders  and  Deacons  be  recommended 
to  resume  their  official  duties. 

Resolved  :  That  the  Classis  do,  in  virtue  of  its  inherent 
power  and  duty  in  the  case  of  the  churches,  hereby  dissolve 
the  Pastoral  lelation  between  Rev.  G.  W.  Connitt,  and  the 
church  of  New  Prospect. 

Mr.  Connitt  gave  notice  of  an  ai)peal  to  the  Particular 
Synod  of  Albany,  and  Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeville  was  appointed 
a  commissioner  to  defend  Classis  in  the  Synod. 

The  Particular  Synod  of  Albany  met  in  Schenectady,  May 
5,  only  two  days  later  than  the  action  of  Classis.  Mr.  C. 
sent  up  his  appeal  and  asked  to  have  its  considei-ation  post- 
poned till  the  next  regular  session  of  Synod,  in  1870.  This 
request  was  granted. 

The  next  Sabbath,  May  9,  Mr.  C.  entered  the  pulpit  as 
usual,  and  read  a  paper  stating  that  his  appeal  stopped  all 
proceedings  just  where  they  stood  previous  to  the  action  from 


48 

which  he  appealed,  and  that  therefore  he  was  and  should    be 
pastor  of  that  church  till  his  appeal  was  issued. 

He,  or  those  acting  with  him,  next  barred  the  church,  or 
caused  it  to  be  barred,  against  the  Consistory,  who  meantime 
had  resumed  the  discharge  of  their  duties.  The  Consistory 
formally  tendered  him  the  amount  still  due  on  his  salary  for 
which  they  demanded  a  receipt  in  full,  and  also  the  keys  of 
the  church,  and  the  book  of  Consistorial  minutes.  He  le- 
ceii)t(.'d  for  the  money  as  for  so  much  on  salary  account,  but 
refused  to  give  u()  the  keys  and  records.  Thereupon  Consis- 
tory fastened  the  church,  which  they  meantime  had  forcibly 
entered,  against  him.  He,  either  '.n  person  or  by  proxy,  open- 
ed it  and  continued  his  Sabbath  ministrations.  His  audiences 
were  small,  and,  as  was  affirmed,  coutino'd  chiedy  to  his 
personal  adherents,  and  those  who  came  out  of  curiosity. 
The  Consistory  protested  against  this  course,  and  informed 
him  that  on  Sabbath,  July  4th,  they  should  place  in  the  pul- 
pit a  minister  of  their  own  selection.  On  that  Sabbath,  Rev. 
Jno.  A.  Staats,  a  member  of  Classis  began  the  regular  order 
of  service  in  the  church,  but  was  interrupted  by  Mr.  Connitt 
who  entered  the  pulpit  and  read  a  paper  affirming  that  he  was 
still  jiastor  of  the  church  and  proposed  to  defend  his  rights  as 
such.  He  protested  against  Mr.  Staats  intrusion,  and  against 
any  interference  with  his  rights  on  the  part  of  anybody. 

Mr.  Staats  then  appealed  to  the  Consistory  present  for  ad- 
vice, who  informally  told  him  to  give  way,  in  order  that  the 
scandal  of  a  conflict  in  the  house  of  God  on  the  Sabbath  might 
be  avoided  ;  whereupon  Mr.  S.,  the  Consistory,  and  the  greater 
portion  of  the  audience  left  the  house,  and  Mr.  C.  conducted 
the  remainder  of  the  services;  at  the  close  of  which  he  gave  notice 
of  a  meeting  of  Consistory  to  be  held  the  following  day  for  the 
election  of  a  new  Consistory.  Accordingly,  at  the  time  and 
place  appointed,  Mr.  Connitt  and  one  deacon  met  and  elected 
persons  to  fill  what  they  called  the  "  unexpired  terms  "  of  two 
Elders  and  one  Deacon.  On  three  successive  Sabbaths  Mr.  0. 
announced  to  the  congregation  that  these  would   be    duly   in- 


49 

stalled  in  office  on  the  25th  of  July,  unless  they  were  properly 
objected  to. 

These  proceedings  of  Mr.  Connitt  were  officially  communi- 
cated to  Classis  by  tlie  Consistory  at  a  meeting  of  Classis  held 
at  VValden,  July  19.  At  the  organization  of  that  body  on 
that  occasion,  Mr.  C.  entered  a  written  objection  to  the  ad- 
mission to  it  of  Mr.  David  Parliman  as  delegate  from  the  Con- 
sistory and  church  of  New  Prospect.  The  objection  was  over- 
ruled, and  Mr.  Parliman  admitted  by  a  vote  of  seventeen  to 
one.  Mr.  C.  also  objected,  and  wished  his  objection  noted  ; 
to  being  called  as  "  without  charge." 

The  special  committee  consisting  of  .Revs.  Van  Zandt  and 
O(.)mt'ort,  and  the  Elder  William  Crowell,  to  whom  the  com- 
munication from  the  Consistory  of  New  Prospect  was  referred, 
reported,  recapitulating  the  facts,  declaring  Mr.  C's  claim  to 
the  pistorate  to  be  illegal,  and  affirming  that  even  if  it  were 
valid,  his  method  of  maintaining  it  was  scandalous.  They 
then  advised  the  passage  of  a  resolution,  enjoining  him  to  give 
up  the  keys  and  books  and  to  desist  from  all  attempts  to  ex- 
ercise the  functions  of  pastor  of  the  church  of  New  Prospect. 
This  report  was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  sixteen  to  three.  Mr. 
C.  appealed  to  Particular  Synod. 

On  the  25th  of  Jnly  Mr.  C.  proceeded  to  install  the  newly 
elected  members  of  his  so-called  Consistory  into  office. 

On  the  2d  of  August  the  clerk  of  Mr.  C's  so-called  Consis- 
tory sent  to  Rev.  J.  H.  Frazee  who  had  been  appointed  by 
Classis  to  supply  the  vacant  pulpit  of  New  Prospect,  on  the 
second  Sabbath  in  August,  a  communication  protesting  against 
his  discharge  of  that  duty,  and  declaring  that  if  he  did  so,  it 
was  at  his  (Mr.  F's)  peril. 

The  next  movement  in  the  case  occurred  August  24,  at  a 
meeting  of  Classis  at  New  Prospect,  where  Mr.  C's  complaint 
of,  and  appeal  from  the  action  of  Classis  at  its  late  meeting 
in  Walden  was  read  and  ordered  to  be  forwarded  to  Particu- 
lar Svnod. 


50 

Mr.  C.  was  then  ordered  to  pi-oduce  the  Look  of  minutes  of 
the  New  Prospect  Consistory.  To  this  he  replied  that  the 
book  was  not  in  his  possession,  and  in  answer  to  a  further  or- 
der, declined  to  say  who  had  them  in  charge. 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  the  Sheriff  of  Ulster  Coun- 
ty appeared  and  served  upon  Revs.  S.  W.  Mills,  A.  B.  Van- 
Zandt,  and  M.  V.  Schoonmaker,  copies  of  a  Summons  and 
Complaint,  issued  by  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  forbidding  them  in  any  way  to  interfere  with  Mr.  C.  in 
the  discharg(^  of  his  duties  as  pastor  of  the  chur(^h  of  New 
Prospect,  and  commanding  them  to  show  cause  why  an  in- 
junction shinild  not  be  issued.  Mr.  Mills  at  once  vacated  his 
seat  during  the  discussion  of  Mr.  Connitt's  case. 

A  communication  from  the  Consistory  of  New  Piospect, 
narrating  the  acts  of  Mr.  Connitt  done  in  vio!atit)n  of  the  oi-- 
der  of  Classis  at  its  meeting  in  VValden,  was  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee consisting  of  Revs.  VanZandt,  Ten  Eyck,  and  Bentley, 
who  in  their  report  condemned  Mr.  C's  course  in  general, 
as  a  violation  of  the  orders  of  Classis;  and  esjjecially  his  ap])eal 
to  the  civil  courts,  as  an  offense  against  christian  courtesy  and 
truth,  and  advised  that  a  charge  of  insubordination  and  con- 
tumacy be  at  once  brought  against  him.  This  report  was 
adopted  by  a  vote  of  fourteen  to  two.  The  charge  recommended, 
covering  nine  specifications,  was  then  regularly  i)resented  by 
the  foregoing  committee. 

At  the  meeting  of  General  Synod,  June,  1869,  the  Classis 
of  Orange  was  tran-ferred  from  the  Particular  Synod  of  Alba- 
ny to  that  of  New  York,  and  the  Stated  Clerk  was  directed  to 
have  Mr.  C's  appeal  also  removed  in  contbrmity  with  this 
change  of  jurisdiction.  He  was  also  directed  to  put  the  charge 
in  order  preparatory  to  its  trial. 

The  Classis  met  in  adjourned  session  at  New  Prospect 
(Sept.  7,  18G9)  to  hear  Mr.  C's  answer  to  the  charge  preferred. 
He  was  again  ordered  to  produce  the  minutes  of  the  New 
Prospect  Consistory  ;  but  he  stated  in  a  written  reply  that  he 


51 

neither  possessed  nor  controlled  the  book.  He  was  then  asked 
to  say  who  was  clerk  of  Consistory  at  the  time  ho  was  dis- 
missed, May  3d?  He  replied  again  in  writing,  that  Mr.  David 
Parliman  would  claim  so  to  be.  He  was  also  asked  who  then 
(Sei)t.  7)  had  the  book  ?  He  answered,  the  Clerk  of  Consis- 
tory. These  evasions  and  refusals  were  declared  to  be  insub- 
ordinate aud  contumacious. 

Mr.  C's  answer  to  the  charge  was  then  read,  and  Classis  ad- 
journed to  meet  for  trial  at  New  Prospect,  September  29th, 
1869. 

At  that  meeting  Mr.  C.  put  in  a  formal  protest  against  the 
further  prosecution  of  the  case  on  the  part  of  Classis,  which 
was  set  aside  by  vote  of  Classis.  He  then  in  a  written  state- 
ment disavowed  any  disrespect  to  Classis  in  refusing  to  appear 
and  defend  himself  Rev.  J.  B.  TenEyck  was  then  appointed 
to  conduct  the  case  in  his  behalf.  The  papers  in  evidence 
were  read  and  the  witnesses  heard,  when  it  was  voted  that 
the  charge  and  all  its  specifications  were  sustained,  and  that 
Mr.  C.  be  suspended  from  the  exercise  of  the  Gospel  ministry 
till  he  give  evidence  (^f  repentance.  Notice  of  this  sentence 
was  given  to  Mr.  Connitt  by  the  Stated  Clerk,  to  whom  Mr. 
C.  gave  notice  that  he  should  appeal  from  it  to  the  Particular 
Synod  of  New  York. 

A  committee  consisting  of  Revs.  Mandeville  and  VanZandt, 
and  the  Elder  Jno.  Lyon  was  a])pointedio  re})ort  a  minute  ex- 
pressive of  Classis'  view  of  the  interference  of  the  civil  with 
the  ecclesiastical  courts  in  this  case. 

Mr.  Connitt's  appeal,  as  also  the  committee's  report  on  the 
action  of  the  civil  courts,  was  read  in  Classis  at  its  regular 
session  at  Port  Jervis,  October  19,  1869.  Rev.  A.  B.  Van- 
Zandt was  appointed  to  defend  the  action  of  Classis  in  Partic- 
ular Synod. 

That  body  met  at  Yonkers,  May  3,  1870.  The  appeal 
from  the  vote  of  Classis  to  dismiss  Mr.  C.  was  first  tried,  and 
was  not  sustained  by  a  vote  of  fifteen  to  five.      Then  followed 


52 

in  order  the  trial  of  the  appeal  from  the  injunction  of  Classis, 
(July  19,  1869)  and  that  from  the  vote  of  suspension,  (Sep- 
tember 30,  1869)  in  both  of  which  cases  the  action  of  Classis 
was  sustaineil.  Mr.  C.  immediately  gave  notice  ot  his  appeal 
to  the  General  Synod  on  each  of  these  decisions. 

General  Synod  met  in  June,  1870,  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  and 
tried  the  tirst  of  the  above  appeals,  and  by  a  vote  of  eighty-one 
to  fifteen,  sustained  the  decision  of  the  Particular  Synod.  Mr. 
C.  then  withdrew  the  two  remaining  api)eals. 

At  a  meeting  of  Classis,  held  at  New  Prospect,  August  10, 
1870,  notice  was  given  to  that  body  that  in  two  suits  institu- 
ted in  the  Supreme  Court  by  Mr.  C.  against  his  so-called  Con- 
sistory for  salary  which  he  allegt-d  was  due  to  him  for  services 
rendered  between  May  3d,  1869,  and  July  7th,  1870,  amount- 
ing in  principal  and  interest  to  .$'1,199.84  ;  he  had  obtained 
judgment ;  the  defendants  not  having  appeared  to  contest  the 
claim. 

A  call  made  by  the  Consistory  of  the  church  of  New  Pros- 
pect upon  Kev.  J.  T.  Demarest,  D.  I).,  was  also  presented  and 
approved  by  Classis.  A  paper  was  also  exhibited  to  Classis, 
sio-ned  by  Mr.  C's  so-called  Consistory,  and  directed  to  Dr. 
Demarest  forbidding  his  further  services  in  the  church,  and 
notifying  liim  that  the  church  of  New  Prospect  would  be 
closed  until  such  time  as  the  present  troubles  should  be  paci- 
fied. 

The  Classis  then  unanimously  adoj)ted  a  preamble  reciting 
these  continuous  acts  of  insubordination,  and  a  resolution  de- 
posing Mr.  C.  from  the  ministry,  and  susepnding  him  from 
the  communion  of  the  church  "  until  he  shall  give  satisfactory 
evidence  of  his  repentance." 

This  action  terminated  the  case  so  iar  as  the  Classis  was 
concerned.  In  the  civil  courts  it  dragged  its  slow  length  alona: 
till  November,  1871,  when  two  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court 
gave  an  opinion  against  Mr.  C,  and  one  in  his  favor.     It  was 


53 

then  taken  up  to  the  Court  of  Appeals    where,    January    18, 
1874,  the  decision  of  the'tSupreme  Court  was  sustained. 

Mr.  C.  retained  uninterrupted  })Ossessi(»n  of  the  parsonage 
at  New  Pmspect  till  in  Fc'bruary,  1874,  when  he  was  dispos- 
sessed 1)}^  a  legal  process.  It  is  understood  that  he  has  since 
given  in  his  adhesion  to  what  is  known  as  the  "  Apostolic 
Christian  Church/'     He  is  now  residing  in  Pcjrtland,  Maine. 

The  case  in  its  process  attracted  wide  attention,  and  the 
decision  of  it  by  the  higliest  tribunal  of  the  State  defined 
more  clearly  than  they  had  ever  been,  some  points  of  the  re- 
lationship between  the  civil  law  and  the  ecclesiastical  rights 
of  the  churches.  Mr.  Connitt  and  the  brethren  of  the  New 
Prospect  Consistory  have  achieved  immortality  so  far  as  rus- 
set covered  law  books  can  confer  it.  The  church,  so  Ions  dis- 
tracted  and  rent,  has  rallied  nobly  from  her  trial,  and  now 
promises  not  to  be  permanently  injuied  by  the  severe  and 
protracted  ordeal  through  which  it  was  thus  called  to  pass. 


The  following  is  a  fu'l  list  of  the  ministerial  changes  which 
have  occurred  in  the  several  churches  belonging  to  the  Classis, 
together  with  the  dates  of  their  respective  organizations  : 

BEREA. 

This  church,  previously  organized  as  a  branch  of  the  Good- 
will Presbyterian  church,  came  into  the  Classis  of  Ulster, 
May  6,  1823.  The  book  of  minutes  contains  no  record  of  the 
ordination  and  installation  of  Mr.  TenEyck. 

Rev.  James  B.  TenEyck  was  settled  not  far  from  the  or- 
ganization of  the  church.  He  was  in  oflice  over  half  a  centu- 
ry, and  died  April  20,  1872. 

His  successor,  Rev.  L.  L.  Comfort,  began  his  labors  here 
July  1,  1872,  and  was  installed  pastor  September  17th.  Rev. 
W.  H.  Gleason  preached  the  sermon  from  Luke,  16  :  21. 


54 

BLOOMINGBURGH. 

This  church  was  organized  the  Vast  Sabbath  of  Jainiaiy, 
1820.  Down  to  1820  it  was  united  with  Wurtsboro  in  its 
pastorates. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  Geo.  DuBois,  who  ministered 
Irom  1820  to  1824,  both  here  and  at  Wurtsboro. 

Rev.  Samuel  VanVechten  was  the  next  pastor.  He  Avas 
installed  in  1824,  and  was  dismissed  January  26,  1841. 

Rev.  S.  W.  Mills,  D.  D.,  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor 
May  30,  1843.  Sermon  by  Rev.  John  T.  Demarest,  from 
Acts,  26  :  17  and  18.     He  was  dismissed  January  19,   1858. 

Rev.  Jer.  Searle,  Jr.,  was  ordained  and  installed  Se[)tember 
21,  1858.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  Searle,  Sr.,  Irora  second  Cor., 
4:1.     Mr.  S.  was  dismissed  December  2,  18G2. 

Rev.  Hasbrouck  DuBois  succeeded  Mr.  Searle.  He  was  in- 
stalled September  8,  1863,  and  dismissed  May  9,  1866.  Rev. 
A.  B.  Van  Zandt  preached  at  his  instalhition. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Frazee  was  installed  November  13,  1866,  and 
dismissed  December  28,  1869.  Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeville 
preached  the  installation  sermon. 

Rev.  R.  H.  Beattie  was  installed  June  14,  1870.  Sermon 
by  Rev.  S.  W.  Mills.  Dr.  Beattie  was  dismissed  March  12, 
1872. 

Rev.  A.  ¥.  Todd  was  installed  November  20,  1872.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  S.  W.  Mills. 

BROWN'S  SETTLEMENT. 

This  church  was  short-lived.  It  was  organized  by  a  com- 
mittee of  Classis,  of  which  Rev.  D.  McL.  Quackenbush  was 
chairman,  August  5,  1850.  It  was  made  part  of  the  pastoral 
charge  of  Rev.  James  E.  Bernart  who  was  ordained  December 
9,  1851,  and  installed  i)astor  of  the  church  of  Upper  Never- 
sink,  Novembor  21,  1854.  It  lingered  on  till,  after  a  sort  of 
post-mortem  examination  by  Classis  at  its  Fall  session,  Octo- 


55 

ber  16  and  17,  1855,  it  was  pronounced  dead.  It  seems  sad 
that  it  should  be  so,  when  we  recall  the  fact  that  since  then 
the  great  De  Bruce  tannery  has  grown  up  on  its  territory, 
and  that  with  proper  nourishment  it  might  be  representing  us 
and  our  Master  there  to-day. 

BUCK  BROOK. 

This  church  was  organized  on  the  same  day  (December  8, 
1859,)  and  by  the  same  committee  which  organized  Milesville. 
It  was  composed  of  three  elders  and  three  deacons,  and  nine- 
teen members.  It  shared  the  tiuctuating  fortunes  of  that  ex- 
ceedingly discouraging  held.  It  lingered  on  till  1863,  when 
it  was  declared  extinct.  iSome  of  its  members  subsequently 
lound  their  way  into  the  present  Keformed  church  of  North 
Branch. 

CALLICOON,  OR  1  HUMANSVILLE- 

This  church  was  organized  January  31,  1856.  The  com- 
mittee of  Classis  on  that  occasion  was  made  up  of  Kevs.  J.  B. 
Ten  Eyck  and  E.  W.  Bentley,  and  the  Elder  A.  B.  Preston, 
Kev.  J.  B.  Ten  Eyck  preached  the  sermon.  The  services 
were  held  in  a  school  house.  A  full  Consistory  was  elected 
and  installed.  This  church  has  been  more  prosperous  than 
any  which  the  Classis  has  established  on  that  field.  There 
has  always  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  sturdy  good  sense  and  quiet 
energy  about  that  people  which  has  ena.bled  them  to  surmount 
all  their  hindrances  ;  united  with  Jeftersonville,  they  shared 
the  services  of  Messrs.  Hone,  Riedel,  and  Boehrer. 

After  Mr.  Boehrer  left  the  field  in  1865,  they  were  without 
regular  service  for  nearly  two  years. 

Rev.  H.  F.  Schnellendreussler  was  installed  their  pastor 
May  7,  1867,  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeville.  Besides  his  pastor- 
ate at  Thumansville,  Mr.  tS.  held  a  kind  of  roving  commission 
to  the  Germans  in  all  that  region.  But  his  stay  was  brief  ; 
he  was  dismissed  October  20,  1868. 

A  year  later  Rev.  William  Elterich  found  his  way  to  Calli- 


56 

coon,  and  the  church  authorities  cautiously  peruiitted  him  to 
"exercise  his  gifts."  With  a  loyalty  to  Classis,  exceedingly 
•  gratifying  under  the  circumstances,  they  applied  for  permis- 
sion to  keep  him  at  work.  A  year  later  Mr.  Eltericli  was  put 
upon  prohation  under  the  care  of  Classis,  aad  June  11,  1872, 
he  was  installed  pastor  of  the  church  by  a  committee  consist- 
ing of  Revs.  Spaulding,  Bogardus,  and  Brown. 

CLARRYVILLE. 

This  church,  under  the  name  of  Upper  Neversink,  was  or- 
ganized S('i>teniber  12,  1849,  by  a  committee  of  which  Rev. 
J.  G.  Duryee  was  chairman.  Eighteen  members  were  in  the 
original  organization. 

Rev.  James  E.  Bernart  served  it  as  Stated  Supply  from 
1851  to  ISrA.  November  21,  1854,  he  was  installed  as  its 
pastor.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  Searle,  Sr.  Mr.  Bernart  was 
dismissed  April  15,  1856. 

Its  next  pastor  was  Rev.  D.  A.  Jones,  who  was  installed 
November  21,  1858.  Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley.  Mr. 
Jones  was  dismissed  December  24,  1863. 

Rev.  J.  W,  Hammond  was  his  successor,  June  29,  1864. 
He  was  dismissed  October  16,  1867. 

He  was  followed  by  Rev,  W.  E.  Turner,  installed  February 
2,  1868,  and  dismissed  April  16,  1872. 

CUDDEBACKVILLE. 

A  petition  for  the  organization  of  this  church  signed  by 
forty-three  persons  was  acted  upon  by  Classis  in  a  special  ses- 
sion held  at  Bloomingburgh,  January  31,  1854.  This  petition 
was  granted,  and  a  committee  consisting  of  Revs.  H.  Slauson, 
S.  Searle,  and  C.  D.  Eltinge,  and  the  Elders  P.  Swartwout 
and  J.  N.  Taylor,  was  appointed  to  effect  the  organization. 
The  committee  discharged  this  duty  March  13,  1854. 

The  lirst  pastor  was  Rev.  H.  Morris,  who  was  installed 
September  18,  1855.     Rev.  R.  P.  Lee  preached    the    sermon 


57 

Rev.  H.  Slaason  addressed  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  S.  Searle  the 
church  and  congregation.  Mr.  Morris  was  dismissed  October 
1,  1862. 

Rev.  Egbert  Winter  was  ordained  and  installed  by  Chassis, 
August  11,  1863.  Sermon  bj^  Rev.  Jno.  Van  Vleck,  from 
Ez.,  3  :  17.     Mr.  W.  was  dismissed  January  9,  1866. 

Rev.  J.  L.  Zabriskie  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor  May 
9,  1856.  Sermon  by  Rev.  S.  W.  Mills,  from  second  Cor., 
5  :  20.     Mr.  Z.  was  dismissed  June  28,  1870. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Bogardus  was  installed  November  15,  1870. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  G.  S.  Garretson.  Mr.  B.  was  dismissed 
April  22,^874. 

Rev.  John  DuBois  was  installed  June  21,  1874.  Sermon 
by  Rev.  S.  J.  Rogers,  from  Gen.,  12  :  8 

DEER  PARK. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1737,  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Mau- 
ciuSj  then  pastor  at  Kingston. 

The  first  settled  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  C.  Freyenmost,  who 
discharged  the  duties  of  that  ocffie  here  from  1741  to  1756. 

The  second  pastor  was  Rev  T.  Romeyn,  who  served  from 
1760  to  1772. 

Rev.  Elias  Van  Benschoten  was  the  third  pastor,  from  1785 
to  1800. 

Rev.  John  Demarest  was  the  fourth  pastor,  his  term  of 
office  extending  from  1803  to  1808. 

The  fifth  pastorate  was  that  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Eltinge,  who 
was  installed  in  1816,  and  died  in  office  in  1843. 

Rev.  Geo.  P.  Van  Wyck  was  the  sixth  pastor.  He  was  or- 
dained and  installed  February  28,  1844.  Sermon  by  Rev.  R. 
P.  Lee,  from  second  Tim.,  4  :  16.  Mr.  Van  Wyck  was  dis- 
missedMay  19,  18.52.  .. 

The  seventh  pastor  was  Rev.  Hiram  Slauson  who  was  in- 


68 

stalled  February  22,  1853,  and  dismissed  October  20,  1857. 
Rev.  M.  N.  McLaren  preached  at  his  installation. 

The  eighth  pastor  .was  Rev.  S.  W  Mills,  who  was  installed 
February  22,  1857.  Sermon  by  ReV.  M.  N.  McLaren.  Mr 
Mills  was  dismissed  October  17,  1871. 

The  ninth  pastor  is  the  present  one.  Rev.  S.  J.  Rogers,  who 
was  installed  April  2,  1872.     Sermon  by  Rev.  S.  W.  Mills. 

ELLENVILLE- 

The  church  of  EUenvillo  was  organized  September  15, 
1840. 

The  first  pastor,  Rev.  S.  B.  Ayers,  was  installed  September 
16,  1841.  Sermon  by  Rev.  R.  P.  Lee,  D.  D.  Mr.  Ayers 
was  dismissed  A[)ril  18,  1854. 

The  second  and  present  pastor.  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley,  was 
ordained  and  installed  October  4,  1854.  The  sermon  on  the 
occasion  was  preached  by  Rev.  C.  Bentley,  of  Green's  Farms, 
Ct.  Rev.  R.  P.  Lee,  D.  D.,  gave  the  charge  to  the  pastor, 
and  Rev.  M.  V.  Schoonmaker  addressed  the  congregation. 

SECOND  ELLENVILLE. 

This  church  Avas  organized  November  13,  1855.  Rev.  Wil- 
liam Wolff  had  previously  done  some  work  among  the  Ger- 
mans in  the  village  and  vicinity.  But  the  determining  force 
was  the  judicious  hibor  of  Rev.  J.  P.  Pfister,  who  came  on  to 
the  ground  in  April,  1855,  and  gathered  and  arranged  the 
materials. 

Rev.  J.  P.  Pfister  was  installed  May  20,  185G,  by  a  com- 
mittee consisting  of  Revs.  R.  P.  Lee  and  H.  Morris.  Sermon 
by  Dr.  Lee.     Mr.  Pfister  was  dismissed  May  16,  1862. 

The  church  was  declartd  I'xtinct  April  22,  1863. 

FALLFBURGH. 

The  original  organization  of  this  church  under  the  name  of 
the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  of  Neversink,  took  place  on    the 


59 

fourth  Sabbath  of  November,  1803.  No  record  of  its  life  re- 
mains, tliough  occasional  reference  to  it  is  made  in  the  earlier 
minutes  of  the  old  Classis  of  Ulster. 

It  was  reorganized  under  its  present  title  December  9,  1827, 
by  Rev.  William  R.  Bogardus  of  New  Paltz.  Five  persons 
then  constituted  its  entire  membership. 

Rev.  Joshua  Boyd  supplied  as  a  missionary  in  1827  and 
1828.  For  four  or  five  years  longer  a  succession  of  domestic 
missionaries  were  on  the  ground. 

Rev.  John  Gray  was  installed  pastor  October  22,  1833,  and 
dismissed  October  28,  1834. 

Rev.  Ambrose  Eggleston  was  installed  in  June,  1836.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  J.  H.  Bevier,  from  Jer.,  5  :  19.  Mr.  E.  was 
dismissed  April  1,  1838. 

The  next  pastor  was  Rev.  Isaac  G.  Duryee,  who  was  or- 
dained and  installed  by  Classis,  July  13,  1842.  Sermon  by 
Rev.  S.  B.  Ayers,  from  second  Tim.,  4  :  12.  Mr.  Duryee  was 
dismissed  May  13,  1851. 

Rev.  C-  D.  Eltinge  succeeded  Mr.  Duryee.  He  was  installed 
October  7,  1851,  and  dismissed  February  1,  1853. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  Searle  was  the  next  pastor.  He  was  in- 
stalled December  8,  1853.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  R.  Lente-  Mr. 
Searle  died  in  office  May  28,  1861. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Connitt  was  the  next  pastor.  He  was  installed 
May  7,  1862.  Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley  ;  Col,  1  :  28. 
Mr.  C.  was  dismissed  October  17,  1865. 

Rev.  W.  S.  Brown  was  installed  May  17,  1868.  Sermon 
by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley. 

GRAHAMSVILLE- 

This  church  was  organized  June  12,  1844,  by  a  committee 
of  Classis,  consisting  of  Revs.  R   P.  Lee  and  J,  P.  TenEyck. 

Rev.  Thomas  Gregory  ministered  here  as  Stated  Supply, 
from  1844  to  1848. 


60 

Rev.  J.  W.  Hammond  was  ordained  and  installed  "the 
third  Tuesday  of  October,"  1849.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  B. 
Alliger.     Mr.  H.  was  dismissed  May  19,  1852. 

Rev.  Calvin  Case  succeeded  Mr.  Hammond.  He  was  or- 
dained and  installed  September  8,  1852,  and  dismissed  April 
18,  1854.     Rev.  J.  R.  Lente  preached  his  installation  sermon. 

Rev.  W.  R.  S.  Betts  was  installed  June  26,  1855.  Sermon 
by  Rev.  Stephen  Searle.  Mr.  B.  was  dismissed  September 
24,  1856. 

Rev.  D.  A.  Jones  was  installed  November  21,  1858.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  N.  1).  Williamson.  On  the  same  day  Mr.  Jones 
was  also  installed  over  the  church  of  Clarry ville,  the  two  being 
united  in  one  pastoral  charge.  Mr.  Jones  was  dismissed  De- 
cember 24,  1863. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Hammond  was  recalled  and  a  second  time  in- 
stalled over  these  churches,  June  29,  1864.  Sermon  by  Rev. 
G.  W.  Connitt.       Mr.  H.  was  dismissed    October    16,    1867. 

Rev.  Wm.  E.  Turner  was  installed  over  the  united  churches 
February  2,  1868.  Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley,  from 
Matt.,  5  :  13.    Mr.  Turner  was  dismissed  April  16,  1872. 

JEFFERSONVILLE. 

This  church  was  organized  November  16,  1852,  by  a  com- 
mittee of  Classis  consisting  of  Revs.  J.  B.  Ten  Eyck,  S.  W. 
Mills,  and  Elder  J.  DeWitt. 

Their  first  minister  was  Rev.  William  W"olff,  who  supplied 
them  both  before  and  alter  their  organization.  He  was  never 
a  settled  pastor  with  them,  and  left  them  in  1853. 

Rev.  Julius  Hones  went  on  to  the  field  in  1854,  and  re- 
mained till  1858. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  F.  W.  A.  Riedel,  who  ministered 
till  1861. 

Rev.  John  Boehrer  was  stationed  there  in    1862.     He    was 


61 

installed  over  the  two  churches  of  Jeffersonvilleand  Thumans-  | 
ville,  I\Iay  28,  1862,  and  dismissed  August  1,  1865.  j 

The  church  was  extinguished  by  vote  of  Classis,  April    16,   i 
1867.  '  I 

In  1871,  (June  11,)  a  reorganization  was  effected  by  a  com- 
mittee of  Classis  consisting  of  Revs.  0.  Spaulding  and  E.  W. 
Bentley,  and  Elder  Matthew  Jansen. 

Rev.  William  Elterich  was  installed  over  the  church  June 
11,  1872,  by  a  committee  consisting  of  Revs.  0.  Spaulding, 
W.  E.  Bogardus,  and  W.  S.  Brown.  Sermon  by  W,  E.  Bo- 
gardus,  from  Acts,  20  :  28. 

KERHONKSON- 

This  church  was  organized  as  Middleport,  and  its  name 
changed  October,  1870.  It  was  set  in  order  by  a  committee 
of  which  Rev.  S.  B.  Ayers  was  chairman,  March  9,  1853. 
The  original  number  of  members  was  eleven.  Rev.  Ephraim 
Depuy  served  it  as  a  Stated  Supply  in  1856.  Its  first  set- 
tled pastor  was  Rev.  N.  \V.  Jones,  who  was  installed  Novem- 
ber 12,  1857.  Sermon  by  Rev.  L.  L.  Comfort.  Mr.  Jones 
was  dismissed  October  16,  1860. 

Ilev.  John  VanVleck  was  installed  September  9,  1862,  and 
dismissed  April  20,  1864. 

Rev.  John  Du  Bois  was  installed  September  16,  1866. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley  ;  Col.,  1  :  28.  Mr.  Du  Bois 
was  dismissed  June  2,  1874. 

MAMAKATING. 

This  church  was  organized  May  7,  1806,  under  the  auspices 
of  th'.' old  Classis  of  Ulster.  Lawrence  Tears,  Wilhelmus 
Kuykendall  and  Peter  Craus  wore  members  of  its  first  Con- 
sistor}'. 

Its  first  regular  pastor  was  Rev.  George  DuBois,  wdio  serv- 
ed from  1820  to  1824. 


62 

From  1824  to  1829  tliey  were  supplied  statedly  by  Bev.  S. 
Van  Veeliten,  vvlio  divided  his  services  during-  this  period  be- 
tween Wurtsboro  and  Bloomingburgh. 

From  1831  to  1834,  Rev.  Thomas  Edwards  was  Stated 
(Supply.     He  never  became  a  member  of  the  Classis. 

The  fourth  minister  was  Rev.  F.  T.  Drake,  who  was  ordain- 
ed and  installed  July  12,  1842.  Sermon  by  Rev.  Wm.  Dem- 
arest,  from  second  Tim.,  4  :  1  and  2.  Mr.  Drake  was  dis- 
missed October  15,  1844. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  C  Hillman,  who  was  install- 
ed July  7,  1846,  and  dismissed  December  4,  1849. 

From  1849  to  1853  the  church  was  supplied  statedly  by 
Rev.  Wm.  Cruikshank. 

Rev.  Stephen  Searle  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor 
November  22,  1853.  The  sermon  on  the  occasion  was  preach- 
ed by  Rev.  H.  Slauson,  from  Rom..  11:  13.  Mr.  Searle  was 
dismissed  December  30,  1858. 

Rev.  John  DuBois  succeeded  Mr.  Searle.  He  was  installed 
August  9,  1859,  and  dismissed  November  9,  1865. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Frazee  was  Stated  Supply  from  1866  to  1870. 

Rev.  E.  G.  Ackerman  was  ordained  and  installed  May  10, 
1870.  Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley,  from  second  Kings, 
13  :  14.     Mr.  A.  was  dismissed  October  20,  1874. 

MILESVILLE. 

This  church  was  organized  December  8,  1859,  by  a  com- 
mittee of  Classis,  consisting  of  Revs.  Jer.  Searle,  Sr.,  E.  VV. 
Bentley  and  C.  Scott.  The  church  began  with  three  elders 
and  three  deacons  and  thirty-one  members.  It  was  minister- 
ed to  with  more  or  less  of  regularity  by  Revs.  Hones,  Riedel 
and  Boehrer  during  the  periods  of  their  service  in  that  vicini- 
ty. The  church,  never  extinct,  was  resuscitated  under  the 
care  of  Rev.  Wm.  Elterich,  and  upon  his  settlement  as  their 


63 

first  regular  pastor,  (June  12,  1872)  it  assumed  the  title  of 
the  Reformed  Church  of  Fremont,  under  which  it  now  appears 
in  the  minutes  of  Greneral  Synod. 

MINNISINK. 

Here  is  another  of  Dominie  Maucius'  handiworks.  He 
seems  to  have  traveled  down  the  old  "King's  Highway" 
some  time  in  the  summer  of  1737,  and  made  up  '  a  batch  of 
churches  like  so  many  loaves,  and  having  leavened  and  raised 
them,  set  them  in  the  oven  trusting  to  somebody  else  to  see 
that  they  did  not  dry  or  burn  up. 

Of  course  Dominie  Freyenmost  did  not  keep  his"' hands  ofi". 
When  the  Minnisink  loaf  needed  turning  he  was  there  to  turn 
it.  His  bishopric  was  as  indefinite  as  the  Indians  birth  place, 
"  from  Cape  Cod  to  Nantucket  and  all  along  the  shore."  If 
any  of  Dominie  Maucius'  loaves  did  chance  to  get  a  little 
crusty  and  dry  it  must  not  be  charged  to  Dominie  Freyen- 
most's  neglect,  but  to  the  physical  impossibility  of  his  being 
in  more  than  four  places  at  once. 

Dominie  Freyenmost  had  the  oversight  of  the  Minnisink 
chiu-ch  from  1741  to  1756. 

Thomas  Romeyn  followed  him  from  1760  to  1772. 

Then  came  the  remarkable  Elias  Van  Benschoten,  from 
1785  to  1800. 

Thus  far  the  fortunes  of  the  Minnisink  church  had  followed 
those  of  Walpack.  But  now  Minnisink  and  Mahackamack 
(Deer  Park)  joined  hands. 

Their  first  minister  after  this  arrangement  was  consummated, 
was  Rev.  John  Deraarest,  who  remained  from  1803  to  1808. 

Then  came  Rev.  C.  C.  Eltinge,  who  served  the  two  churches 
from  1816  to  October  31,  1837. 

From  Mr.  Eltinge's  dismission  onward,  Minnisink  has  been 
walking  alone.     Her   first    pastor    under   this    new   order   of 


64 

things  was  Rev.  S.  B.  Ayers.  He  Avas  ordained  by  the  Classis 
and  installed  June  28,  1838.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Duryea. 
Mr.  A.  was  dismissed  April  20,  1841. 

His  successor  was  Rev.  Jacob  Bookstaver  a  native  of  Mont- 
gomery, who  was  licensed  by  the  Classis  July  28,  1840,  and 
ordained  and  installed  at  Minnisink,  January  12,  1822.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  R.  Pitts,  fi-om  second  Tim.,  4  :  16.  Mr.  B  was 
dismissed  October,  1847. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Morse,  a  Presbyterian  clergyman,  served  as 
Stated  Supply  from  1848  to  1849. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Demarest,  D.  D.,  was  their  next  settled  pastor. 
He  was  installed  May  14,  1850.  and  dismissed  August  17, 
1852. 

The  next  pastor,  Rev.  David  A.  Jones  was  installed  May 
17,  1853,  and  dismissed  September  21,  1858. 

f  Rev,  Cornelius  Gates  was  installed  May  16,  1860,  and  dis- 
missed April  15,  1862. 

Rev.  William  Cornell  was  ordained  and  installed  Septem- 
ber 2,  1862,  and  dismissed  April  22,  1863. 

Rev.  William  S.  Moore  was  installed  June  29,  1864.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  A.  McWilliams.  Mr.  Moore  was  dismissed  July 
19,  1869. 

Rev.  William  E.  Turner  was  installed  May  21,  1872. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley,  from  Rev.,  3  :  21. 

MONTGOMERY- 

The  Montgomery  congregation  is  largely  of  German  descent, 
and  their  church  was  originally  connected  with  the  German 
Reformed  body.  The  precise  date  of  its  organization  seems  to 
be  lost.  Its  earliest  records  go  back  to  the  year  1732,  when 
William  Maucius  is  mentioned  as  a  "Special  Supply  of  the 
conerreKation  of  Wallkill,  and  regular  pastor  of  the  cono:reo:a- 
tion  of  Kingston."     Another  entry   in    another    hand    shows 


65 

that  the  cluirch  of  Montgomery  was  organized  in  1732,*  by 
Eev.  Geo]-ge  Wilhelmus  Maucius,  (the  same  as  above  men- 
tioned) of  Catsbaan,  who  served  this  chm-ch  as  Stated  Supply 
till  1762.  There  seems  to  have  been  sixteen  members  at  the 
date  of  the  organization,  besides  the  two  (one  elder  and  one 
deacon)  who  formed  the  first  Consistory.  The  same  names 
occurred  then  which  are  now  prominent  in  the  congregation, 
as  "  Kraus,''  now  spelled  Craus  ;  "  Maul,"  now  Mould  ; 
"  Sinsebaugh,"  "  Christ,"  now  Crist  ;  "  Nieukirk,"  now  New- 
kirk  ;  "  Jungblot,"  now  Youngblood  ;  Johannes  Jungblot 
was  the  first  Elder,  and  Jacob  Buchstahder  was  the  first  Dea- 
con. 

From  1751  to  1768,  Rev.  John  MoflPet,  pastor  of  the  neigh- 
boring "  Goodwill  "  Presbyterian  church  frequently  preached 
and  baptized  in  the  c  ingregation. 

In  1751,  the  church  united  with  the  churches  of  New  Paltz 
and  Shawangunk  in  a  call  upon  Rev.  Bareut  Vrooman,  who 
preached  his  first  sermon  under  the  call  September  9,  1753. 
A  year  later  he  left  the  field. 

In  1764  the  name  of  Frederick  Mutzelius  occurs  as  an  oc- 
casional supply.  This  is  doubtless  the  person  of  the  same 
name  mentioned  in  Corwin's  Manual. 

From  1764  to  1771  the  church  was  supplied  at  intervals  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Cough  of  East  Camp.  Concerning  Dominie  Cough's 
life  and  labors  our  church  records  are  strangely  silent. 

From  1772  to  1777,  Rev.  John  Michael  Kern  officiated  as 
pastor,  though  no  mention  is  made  of  his  installation. 

From  1778  to  1784,  Rev.  Rynier  Van  Nest  acted  either  as 
Stated  Supply  or  as  pastor,  probably  the  latter,  under  a  call 
made  in  connection  Avith  the  Shawangunk  church. 

In  1788,  Rev.  Moses  Freleigh  became  the. pastor  and  served 
the  two  churches  of  Montgomery  and  Shawangunk  till    1811, 


*-Di-.  Dewitt  says  1734. 


X 


66 

when  he  confined  his  labors  wholly  to  Montgomery,  till  his 
death  in  1817. 

Rev.  Jesse  Fonda  succeeded  Dominie  Freleigh.  He  was 
installed  September  28,  1817.  and  died  in  the  pastorate  May 
2,  1827. 

Rev.  R.  P.  Lee,  D.  D.,  was  installed  July  15,  1829,  and 
died  September  30,  1858. 

■  Rev.  A.  B.  VanZandt,  D.  D.,  was  installed  May  15,  1860. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  B.  Ten  Eyck.  Dr.  Van  Zandt  was  dis- 
missed Angust  28,  1872,  to  enter  ui)on  the  Professorship  of 
Theology  in  the  Seminary  at  New  Brunswick. 

The  present  pastor.  Rev.  Cornelius  Brett  was  installed 
August  12,  1873.  Sermon  by  Rev.  Dr.  Van  Zandt,  from  first 
Cor.,  1  :  21—24. 

NEWBURGH. 

This  church  was  organized  on  the  "  third  Tuesday  of  Feb- 
ruary," 1835.     Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Bevier,  of  Shawangunk. 

Rev.  Wm.  Cruikshank,  first  pastor,  was  installed,  October 
22,  1835.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Bevier.  Mr.  C.  was  dis- 
missed January  10,  1838. 

Rev.  J.  M.  Fisher  was  installed  August  26,  1838,  and  dis- 
missed January  15,  1839,  and  asked  to  be  dismissed  still  earli- 
er. The  sermon  at  his  installation  was  preached  by  Rev.  J 
B,  iEyndshaw. 

Rev.  F.  H.  Vandevere  was  installed  July  21,  1839.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  J.  B.  Hyndshaw.  Dr.  V.  was  dismissed  Au- 
gust 23,  1842. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Van  Zandt  was  installed  December  14,  1842, 
and  dismissed  June  5,  1849. 

Rev.  M.  N.  McLaren  was  installed  on  the  evening  of  the 
second  Tuesday  of  November,  18.50,  and  dismisbed  Febru- 
ary 24,  1859.  Rev.  J.  B.  Alliger  preached  the  installation 
sermon,  from  second  Cor.,  2  :  4. 


67 

Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeviile  was  installed  September  13,  1859. 
Sermon  by  Kev.  0.  Scotr.  Dr.  M.  was  dismissed  October  19, 
1869. 

Kev.  W.  H.  Gleason  was  installed  July  19,  1870. 

NEW  HURLEY. 

.  The  first  settled  pastor  of  New  Hurley  was  Rev.  Stephen 
Goetschius.  The  church,  organized  October  18,  1770,  had 
occasioned  supplies  and  frequent  pastoral  service  from  the 
church  of  Kingston  till  Dominie  Goetschius'  installation  early 
in  1776.  It  was  united  with  that  of  New  Paltz  in  the  sup- 
port of  the  pastor  who  divided  his  labors  between  them.  Mr. 
G.  was  dismissed  August  29,  1776. 

Rev.  John  H.  Myer  was  installed  October  13,  1799,  and 
dismissed  January  10^  1803.  He  ministered  to  both  churches 
and  made  but  a  brief  stay  in  that  hospitable  Dutch,  neighbor- 
hood. Those  staid  church-going  farmers  have  not  a  habit  of 
lotting  a  dominie  slip  through  their  fingers  so  easily. 

Rev.  Peter  D.  Freleigh  was  settled  in  the  pastorate  of  the 
united  churches  December  26,  1807,  and  thus  continued  until 
January  16,  1816,  when  he  was  called  to  assume  the  entire 
pastoral  charge  at  New  Hurley.  In  November  of  the  same 
year  he  was  dismissed. 

February  18,  1817,  Rev.  William  R.  Bogardus  became  the 
pastor  of  the  two  churches.  November  10,  1828,  the  church- 
es separated,  and  Mr.  Bogardus  gave  himself  wholly  to  New 
Paltz. 

April  1,  1829,  Rev.  F.  H.  Vandevere  was  installed  over 
New  Hurley  alone.     He  was  dismissed  May  10,  1839. 

Rev.  William  Demarest  was  installed  early  in  1840.  No 
mention  appears  on  the  minutes  of  Classis  respecting  that 
service.  Mr.  D-  signed  the  Formula,  and  his  name  appears 
as    pastor   in    the   roll    of  a  meeting  of  Classis  held  July   28. 


68 

But  who  installed  him  and  when,  is  not  stated  in  the  minutes 
either  of  Clrtssis  or  Consistory.  ■\rr.  Demarest  Avas  dismissed 
April  16,  1845. 

Rev.  Elbert  Slinsjerland  was  installed  on  Tuesday,  Febru- 
ary 24,  1846.  Sermon  by  Rev.  A.  B.  VanZandt.  Mr.  Slin- 
gerland  was  dismissed  April  25,  1854. 

Rev.  L.  L.  Comfort  was  installed  November  2,  1854.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  J.  B.  Ten  Eyck,  Mr.  Comfort  w^as  dismissed 
on  account  of  impaired  health,  A})ril  18,  1871- 

Rev.  R.  H.  Beattie,  D.  D.,  was  instaUed  April  2,  1872. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  M.  V.  Schoonmaker. 

NEW    PROSPECT. 

This  church  w^as  organized  October  2,  1815.  Its  first  Con- 
sistory was  composed  of  Hazael  Van  Keuren  and  Cornelius 
Brink,  elders,  and  Geo.  Niver  and  James  Stott,  deacons. 

The  first  pastor  w^as  Rev.  A.  D.  Wilson.  He  was  called 
and  settled  by  the  two  churches  of  New  Prospect  and  Sha- 
wangunk.  He  was  installed  in  April,  1816,  and  dismissed  in 
April,  1829. 

Rev.  R.  C.  Shimeal  was  settled  in  Septemberj  1829,  and 
dismissed  in  1831. 

Rev.  J.  W.  W.'M'd  was  settled  in  May,  1832,  and  dismissed 
April  25,  1837. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Demarest  was  ortlained  and  installed  November 
23,  1837.  Rev,  J.  H.  Bevier  preached  the  sermon.  Mr.  D, 
was  dismissed  in  April,  1850. 

Rev.  VV.  S.  Moore  was  installed  October  2,  1850,  and  dis- 
missed October  21,  1856. 

Rev.  William  Hamilton  was  installed  May  6,  1857.  Rev. 
C.  Scott  preached  the  sermon,  from  Phil.,  2  :  29-  Mr.  H. 
was  dismissed  March  10,  1864. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Connitt  was  installed  May  10,   1867.     Sermon 


69 

by    Rev.    M.  V.   Schoonmaker,  from  first  Oor.,  1  :  23.     Mr. 
Oonnitt  was  dismissed  May  3,  1869. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Deraarest,  D.  D.,  was  installed  a  second  time 
pastor  September  2,  1870.  Sermon  by  Rev.  A.  B.  VanZandt, 
Irom  first  Cor.,  1  :  21  and  24.  Dr.  Demarest  was  dismissed 
on  account  of  tLe  feeble  health  ot  Mrs.  Demarest,  April  18, 
1871. 

From  1871  to  1873  the  church  enjoyed  the  stated  ministra- 
tions of  Rev.  Jno.  A.  Staats- 

September  14,  1873,  Dr.  Demarest  was  for  the  third  time 
installed  pastor  of  this  church.  Sermon  by  Rev.  F.  H.  Van- 
devere. 

NORTH  BRANCH. 

This  church  was  organized  June  10,  1871,  by  a  committee 
consisting  of  Revs.  E.  W.  Bentley,  C-  Spaulding  and  the  Elder 
Matthew  Jansen.  It  had  a  full  Consistory  and  twenty-eight 
members. 

Rev.  Wm.  Elt-rich  was  installed  as  its  first  and  only  pastor 
Juu'^  11,  1872. 

SHAWANGUNK. 

The  earlier  records  of  this  cluu'ch  are  lost.  Dr.  Corwin  is 
however  doubtless  in  error  in  dating  its  organization  in  1732, 
designating  Rev.  Johannes  Sjhuneman~as  its  first  pastor.  Dr. 
Dewitt  in  his  discourse  at  the  opening  of  the  North  Reformed 
D.  church  giv-^s  1751  as  the  date  of  organization.  Prof  Scott's 
(>})inion  is  that  it  was  organized  in  1750  by  Rev.  Johannes 
H.  Goetschius  who  was  then  pastor  of  the  churches  of  Scbraal- 
enburgh,  and  Hackensack  in  N.  J.  Jt  is  on  record  that  Mi . 
G.  visited  New  Paltz  in  June,  1749,  and  baptized  a  child. 
Again,  April  22d,  1750,  he  was  in  New  Paltz  and  baptized 
five  children,  two  or  three  of  whom  were  from  what  is  now  the 
Shawangunk  congregation;  and  the  probabilities  are  that  on 
his  way  home  from  New  Paltz  he  stopped  at  Shawangunk 
and  ordained  a  Consistory.      The  C'jngregation    at   that   time 


70 

was  attached  to  the  pastoral  charge  of  Dominie  Maucius  at 
Kinsrston.  As  Dominie  M.  was  not  then  a  member  of  the 
'•  Coetus,"  this  invasion  of  his  ecclesiastical  territory  doubt- 
less met  with  his  protest.*  No  members  of  the  church  of 
Kingston  belonging  to  this  congregation  were  dismissed  to 
join  this  new  organization  till  two  years  later.  Still  this  may 
have  been  from  the  fact  that  there  was  no  pastor  at  iShawan- 
gunk  till  1753.  There  is  no  list  of  elders  and  deacons  belong- 
ing to  the  Consistory  till  1860.  The  record  of  baptisms 
begins  with  April  24,  1750,  when  four  children  were  baptized, 
and  on  the  25th  four  more  by  Mr.  Goetschius.  From  this 
time  on  the  baptismal  register  is  regularly  ke})t.  though  the 
ordinance  was  administered  by  various  hands,  till  the  settle- 
ment of  a  regular  pastor.  On  February  4,  1751,  the  churches 
of  New  Paltz,  Shawangunk,  and  Wallkill,  (now  Montgomery) 
united  in  a  call  upon  Rev.  Barent  Vrooman.  Mr.  V.  accepted 
this  call,  and  as  the  necessity  then  was,  went  immediately  to 
Holland  for  licensure  and  ordination.  The  Classis  of  Ultrecht 
licensed  him  June  17,  1752,  and  ordained  him  March  6,  1753. 
There  is  no  record  of  his  installation  ;  but  he  preached  his 
first  sermon  as  a  pastor  August  26,  1753,  at  New  Paltz ;  at 
Shawangunk  September  2d  ;  and  at  Wallkill  September  9th. 
He  retained  this  contiection  till  October,  1754,  when  having 
accepted  a  call  to  Schenectady,  he  removed  thither. 

Rev.  Johannes  Mauritius  Goetschius  was  the  second  pastor. 
He  was  called  to  the  united  churches  of  New  Paltz  and  Sha- 
wangunk January  18,  1760,  and  began  ])reaching  at  Shawan- 
gunk August  17th,  and  at  New  Paltz  August  24th  of  that 
year.  He  resided  at  Shawangunk,  dit-d  March  17,  1771,  and 
was  buried  under  the  North  side  of  the  present  church  edilice 
there. 

The  third  pas  I  or  was  Rev.  Ryiiier  Van  Nest,  who  was  called 
April  26,  1774.  No  record  of  his  installation  a})pears,  but  he 
began  preaching  at  Shawangunk,  November  6,  1774,  and  at 

•Corwin's  Manual  afiirnis  that   Doininio   Maucius  once  preferred  charges  against  Mr. 
Goetschius,  to  the  Oetus.  Query:  Was  it  on  account  of  I /i  is  invasion  of  Maucius'  bishopric. 


71 

New  Paltz  the  next  Sabbath,  November  13th.  For  some 
reason  his  connection  with  New  Paltz  was  terminated,  and  he 
began  preaching  at  Montgomery,  September  27,  1778.  March 
7,  1785,  he  was  dismissed  to  Jamaica,  L.  I. 

The  fourth  pastor,  Rev.  Moses  Freleigh,  was  called  to  the 
united  churches  of  Shawangunk  and  Montgomery,  February 
20,  1788.  He  was  ordained  and  installed  in  the  Shawangunk 
church  May  17th  of  that  year.  The  sermon  on  the  occasion 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Isaac  Blauvelt,  of  Fishkill.  In  May, 
1811,  he  was  dismissed  from  Shawangunk,  and  thereafter  con- 
lined  his  labors  to  the  Montgomery  church. 

The  fifth  pastor  was  Rev,  Henry  Polhemus,  who  was  called 
by  tlie  Shawangunk  church  alone.  His  call  was  dated  Janu- 
ary 23,  1813;  and  he  was  installed  June  13,  1813.  The  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  his  predecessor,  Rev.  Mr.  Freleigh. 
Mr.  Polhemus  died  November  2,  1815,  and  is  hurried  under 
the  North  side  of  the  church. 

The  sixth  pastor  was  Rev.  A.  D.  Wilson.  The  church  of 
New  Prospect,  then  just  organized,  united  with  the  Shawan- 
gunk church  in  his  call,  which  was  approved  by  the  Classis 
of  Ulster,  January  16,  1816.  He  began  preacliing  under  the 
call  February  25th  ;  was  ordained  and  installed  April  14th. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  Peter  D.  Freleigh.  He  was  dismissed  on 
account  of  his  health  April  14,  1829. 

The  seventh  pastor  was  Rev.  Henry  Mandeville.  The  re- 
cords of  Consistory  give  no  account  of  his  settlement  further 
than  that  it  took  place  in  1829,  and  that  the  connection  was 
teirainated  in  1831.  His  jiastorate  was  short,  but  very  suc- 
cessful. 

The  eighth  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  H.  Bevier  who  was  settled 
in  1831,  and  dismissed  October  18,  1843. 

The  ninth  pastor  was  Rev.  James  B.  Alliger,  whose  call 
was  approved  at  the  same  raeetmg  of  Classis  at  which  Mr. 
Bevier  was  dismissed.  At  a  special  meeting  of  Classis  held 
November  21,  1843,  arrangements  were  made  for  Mr.  AUiger's 


72 

installation  "  on  the  second  Wednesday  of  December,  proxi- 
mo, at  eleven  a.  m.  Rev.  William  Domarest  was  a])pointed 
to  preach  on  the  occasion.  As  Mr.  A.  appears  on  the  min- 
utes of  the  next  regular  meeting-  as  pastor,  I  presume  the  ar- 
rangements were  carried  out,  though  no  record  of  that  fact  is 
made.  Mr.  Alligor  was  dismissed  to  the  South  Classis  of  L. 
I.,  December  17,  1850,  becoming  thus  the  second  pastor  which 
the  church  of  Shawangunk  has  furnished  directly  to  th^  church 
of  Jamaica. 

The  tenth  pastor  was  Rev.  Charles  Scott.  His  call  _}vas 
approved  at  a  meeting  of  Classis  held  August  5,  18/1,  and 
his  ordination  and  installation  were  arranged  for  "  the  second 
Tuesday  of  September  next."  The  ])ertinacity  with  which 
the  records  of  Classis  adhere  to  the  day  of  the  week  and  ignore 
the  day  of  the  month,  is  vexatious  in  the  extreme.  "  The 
second  Tuesday  of  September  next  "  came  on  the  9th,  when 
Classis  met.  The  sermon  was  })reached  by  Rev.  R.  P,  Lee, 
from  second  Cor.,  5  :  20.  Mr.  Scott's  long  and  successful 
pastorate  terminated  May  7,  1866,  when  he  was  dismissed  to 
accept  a  professorship  in  Hope  College,  Michigan. 

The  eleventh  pastor  is  the  Rev.  Cyril  Spaulding.  He  was 
installed  May  28,  1868.  Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeville  preached  the 
sermon,  from  second  Cor.,  2  :  15  and  16. 

WALDEN. 

Th's  church  was  organized  by  tlie  Classis  of  Orange  Sep- 
tember 13,  1838. 

The  first  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  M.  Scribner,  who  was  installed 
July  23,  1839.  Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  H.  Bevier.  Mr.  Scribner 
was  dismissed  April  20^  1841. 

Rev.  C.  Whitehead,  the  second  pastor,  was  installed  May 
10,  1842,  and  dismissed  April  17,  1849.  The  sermon  at  his 
installation  was  preached  by  Rev.  J.  T.  Demarest,  from  Ez., 
37:  1—14 

Rev.  M.  V.  Sehoonmaker,  the  third  and  present  i)astor,  was 


73 

iustalled  August  21,  1849.     Sermon  by  Eev  .William  Cruik- 
sharik,  from  Eph.,  4  :  8 — 11. 

WALLKILL  VALLEY- 
This  church   was  oig-aiiized  by  a  committee  of  Classis  of 
Avhich  Rev.  M.  V.  Sclioonmaker  was  chairman  May  11,  1869. 

Rev.  A.  B.  Van  Z  indt  preached  a  sermon  from  Hag.,  1:8. 
Tiic  original  members  were  twenty-five  in  number. 

The  first  and  sole  pastor  Rev.  B.  C.  Lippencott  was  installed 
April  13,  1872.     Sermon  by  Rev.  A.  B.  Van  Zandt. 

WALPACK. 
Tliis  was  another  of  Dominie  Maucius'  organizations,  ac- 
complished somewhere  about  1737- 

The  first  minister  was  the  ubiquitous  Johannes  Casperas 
Freyenmost,  who  began  his  labors  June  1,  1741.  If  he  re- 
mained here  till  1756,  as  is  stated  by  Dr.  Mills  in  his  "  His- 
torical Discourse  "  at  Bushkill,  he  still  managed  to  do  a  great 
deal  of  work  at  book-keeping  among  the  records  of  the  Wa- 
warsing  church. 

Rev.  Thomas  Romeyn  was  settled  in  1760,  and  remained 
till  1772. 

Succeeding  him  came  the  eccentric  but  godly  Elias  Van- 
Benschotin,  a  name  quite  as  unmistakably  Dutch,  o,nd  vastly 
more  familiar  in  the  church,  thanthe  veritable  Knickerbocker 
itself.  He  was  installed  August  28,  1785,  He  made  good 
proof  of  his  ministry  here  till  1800. 

Rev.  James  G.  Force  was  installed  November  17,  1811,  and 
was  dismissed  in  1827. 

His  successor.  Rev.  Isaac  S.  Deraund,  was  installed  Decem- 
ber 2,  1827,  and  dismissed  June  13,  1829. 

Mr.  Demund  was  followed  by  Rev.  David  (Jushing,  who 
served  as  Stated  Supply  from  October,  1831,    to  July,    1832. 

Rev.  Garret  0,  Schenk  was  ordained  and  installed  April  6, 


74 

1834.     Sermon  by  Rev.  S.  A.  Van  Vmukcn,  D.  D.,  from  first 
Cor.,  1:  21.     Mr.  S.  Avas  dismissed  in  March,  1835- 

Rev.  J.  B.  Hyndshaw  was  installed  January  17,  1836.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  J.  B.  Ten  Eyck.  Mr.  H.  was  dismissed  October 
<»    1839. 

-Rev.  Robert  Pitts,  licensed  by  the  Classis  July  28,  1840, 
was  ordained,  and  began  his  labors  here  as  Stated  Supply, 
April  21,  1841,  and  continued  tliem  till  1860,  when  his  im- 
paired health  compelled  him  to  resign. 

In  18.'35  the  field  was  divided,  and  since  th(^n  two  ministers 
have  for  the  greater  part  of  the  time  had  their  liands  full  in  its 
cultivation,  under  this  new  arrangement. 

Rev.  A.  McWilliams  was  the  first  pastor  of  Lower  Wal- 
pack.  He  was  installed  June  1,  1861.  Sermon  by  Rev. 
William  Hamilton.     Mr.  M.  was  dismissed  May  17,  1870. 

The  present  pastor  of  Lower  Walpack,  Rev.  J.  F.  Shaw, 
was  installed  December  8,  1870.  Sermon  by  Rev.  R.  H. 
Beattie,  D.  D. 

Rev.  N.  W.  Jones  was  Stated  Supply  for  Upper  Walpack 
for  a  year  beginning  in  the  fall  of  1861,  and  ending  in  the  fall 
of  1862. 

The  first  and  only  settled  pastor  of  Upper  Walpack  alone, 
is  Rev.  G.  S.  Garretson,  who  was  installed  May  19,  1863. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeville,  D.  D.,  from  1  Cor.,  3:  9. 

WAWARSING. 

This  church  was  organized  in  1745,  by  Rev.  Johannes  Cas- 
parus  Freyenmost,  then  pastor  at  Port  Jervis.  The  print  of 
his  finger  is  upon  everything  that  was  done  here  between  1745 
and  1751. 

About  that  time  the  church  was  united  with  the  Rochester 
church  in  the  settlement  and  support  of  ministers. 

In  175.3  the  two  churches  called  Rev.  Jacobus  Frelinghuysen. 


75 

He  went  to  Holland  for  ovdi nation    and    died    on    the   return 
voyage. 

In  1755,  the  Rev.  H.  Frelinghuysen,  a  brother  of  Jacobus, 
was  called  to  the  vacancy.  He  accepted,  preached  on  his 
license,  waiting  for  ordination,  till  1758,  when  he  was  ordain- 
ed, and  two  weeks  later  was  dead  of  small  pox. 

Rev.  Dirck  Ronieyn  was  pastor  of  the  United  Churches 
from  176G  to  1775.  ' 

From  1782  to  1786  Rev.  J.  R.  Hardenburgh  served  this  ex- 
tended bishopric. 

To  him  succeeded  Rev.  Abr.  Van  Home  from  1789  to  1795. 

Rev.  Garret  Mandeville  was  the  next  pastor  from  1798  to 
1802.  He  seemed  to  have  confined  his  ministry  to  the  church- 
es of  Wawarsing,  Rochester  and  the  Clove,  Marbletown  being 
provided  for  in  some  other  way. 

Rev.  R.  Westervelt  succeeded  Mr.  Mandeville  and  occupied 
the  field  from  1802  to  1808. 

After  a  vacancy  of  six  years  Rev.  James  Murphy,  D.  D., 
was  installed  in  1814,  and  was  dismissed  in  1825. 

Rev.  M.  !S.  Hutton,  D.  D.,  was  sent  to  the  Wawarsing 
church  by  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  R.  P.  D.  C.  in  1827, 
and  remained  some  eighteen  months. 

Rev.  A.  Hoffman  served  in  the  samer  capacity  from  1828  to 

1829. 

In  1829,  Rev.  A.  J.  Switz  was  in.stalled,  and  remained  till 
June  1,  1835. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Duryea  was  ordained  and  installed  October  30, 
1837.  Sermon  by  Rev.  F.  H.  Vandevere.  Dr.  Duryea  was 
dismissed  February  10,   1839. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Ward  served  the  church  as  Stated  Supply  from 
1839  to  1841. 

Rev.  James  Demarest,  Sr.,  was  installed  April  20,  1842. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  F.  H.  Vandevere. 


76 

Rev.  J.  McL.  Quackenbush  was  installed  the  "  third  Tues- 
day of  July,"  1849.  The  installation  sermon  was  preached 
by" Rev.  R.  P.  Lee,  D.  D.,  from  Matt.,  28  :  18  and  20.  Mr. 
Q.  was  dismissed  August  5,  1851. 

Rev.  J.  R.  Lente  was  installed  December  30,  1852.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  William  Cruikshank,  from  first  Cor.,  1  :  23. 
Mr.  Lente  was  dismissed  October  3,  1854. 

Rev.  N.  D  Williamson  was  installed  January  29,  1856. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  J.  Searle,  Sr.  Mr.  W.  was  dismissed  May 
28,  1861.' 

Rev.  John  Van  Vleck    was   installed    September   2,    1863. 
Sermon  by  Rev.  G.   W.  Connitt.       During  Mr.  Van  Vleck's 
pastorate,  the  churches  of  Wawarsing   and    Middleport    were   j 
united.     Mr.  Van  Vleck  was  dismissed  April  20,    1864,   and 
died  March  14,  1865. 

Rev.  Miner  Swick  was  installed  October  5,  1864.  Sermon 
by  Rev.  Jno.  W.  Hammond.  Mr.  S.  was  dismissed  March 
30,  1869. 

Rev.  J.  R.  Talmage  was  installed  July  6,  1869.  Sermon 
preached  by  Rev.  G.  H.  Mandeville.  Dr.  Talmage  was  dis- 
missed April  22,  1874. 

Rev.  Goodloe  B.  Bell  was  installed  October  12,  1874.  Ser- 
mon by  Rev.  E.  W.  Bentley,  from  second  Kings,  13  :  14, 


•  ■     '*m^     '  • 


The  following  is  a  list  of  ministers  who  have  received   their 
license  from  the  classis  : 

1.  William  Yomigblood,    July  24,    1835. 

It  is  not  unmeet  that  the  Classis  should  have  signalized  its 
attachment  to  she  cause  of  Missions  by  applying  the  first  ex- 
ercise of  its  minister-making  power  to  the  person  of  one  who 
gave  his  life  to  the  wcn-k  of  preaching  Christ  to  the  heathen. 
Mr.  Y.  was  a  native  of  Montgomery,  became  a  member  of  the 
Reformed  Church  there,  graduated  at  Rutger's  College  in  the 
Class  of  1832,  and  at  the  Seminary  in  1835,  was  licensed  as 
above,  ordained  by  the  Classis  April  26,  1836,  and  on  the 
8th  of  June  following  sailed  for  Batavia  in  the  Island  of  Java. 
For  thirteen  years  he  labored  with  an  enthusiastic  earnestness 
to  bring  men  to  Christ.  With  broken  health  he  returned  to 
America  in  1849.  He  never  regained  strength  enough  to  un- 
.  dertake  any  regular  service,  and  after  ten  years  waiting  for  the 
Master's  call,  obeyed  it  and  went  up  higher  in  1859. 

2.  John  Hudson  Duryea.  Dr.  Uuryea  was  a  native  of 
Bloomingburgh.  He  was  educated  at  New  Brunswick 
where  he  graduated  from  College  in  1834,  and  from  the  Sem- 
inary in  1837.     He  was  licensed  by   Classis   July  26,    1837. 


78 

He  was  Ordained  and  installed  at  Wawarsing,  Oct.  30,  1837, 
dismissed  February  10,  1839,  and  since  that  date  has  been 
pastor  of  the  1st  Church  ot  Totowa,  at  Paterson,  N.  J. 

3.  John  B.  Crawford  was  a  native  of  Hopewell,  Orange 
County,  N.  Y.  Educated  at  New  Brunswick,  where  he 
graduated  at  the  College  in  1836,  and  the  Seminary  in  1839. 
He  was  licensed  by  Classis  July  23,  1839,  was  settled  at  Mid- 
dletownVillage,  N.  J.,  in  November,  1839,  and  died  a  year  later. 
He  was  a  man  of  grt-at  promise  and  died  greatly  lamented. 

4.  Robert  Pitts  is  a  native  of  Bloomingburgh,  graduated 
at  New  Brunswick  in  1837,  and  was  licensed  July  28,  1840, 
ordained  April  21,  1841,  and  as  a  Stated  Sup[)ly  ministered  to 
the  Wal})ack  Chui'ch  till  1860,  since  which  date  ho  has  lived 
at  Stroudsburgh,  Pa.,  without  charge. 

5.  Jacob  Bookstaver  was  born  at  Montgomery,  graduated 
at  New  Brunswick  in  1837  and  1840,  was  licensed  by 
Classis  July  28,  1840,  and  ordained  and  installed  at  Minne- 
sink,  January  12,  1842.  He  was  dismissed  from  there  in 
October,  1847,  and  became  a  teacher  at  Belleville,  N.  J.,  where 
he  died  December,  1848.  He  was  a  pure-minded,  gentle- 
hearted  christian  and  lived  and  died  greatly  beloved. 

6.  Francis  T.  Drake  was  educated  at  New  Brunswick, 
graduating  in  1838  and  1841.  He  was  licensed  July  27, 
1841,  ordained  and  installed  at  Wurtsboro,  July  12,  1842, 
dismissed  October  16,  1844.  He  was  pastor  at  Canastota, 
from  1845  to  1853.     He  has  since  then  left  the  church. 

7.  Alexander  (X  Millspaugh  is  a  native  of  Montgomery, 
was  graduated  at  New  Brunswick  in  1838  and  1841,  licensed 
July  27,  1841,  was  pastor  at  Middletown  Village  from  1841 
to  1866,  and  is  now  living  without  charge  at  Marlboro,  N.    J.. 

8.  Aaron  B.  Winfield  was  born  at  Montague,  N.  J.,  regu- 
larly graduated  at  New  Brunswick  in  1839  and  1841.  He 
was  licensed  August  22,  1842,  and  went  into  the  service  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  died  at  Paranms,  N.  J.,  in 
1856.     He  was  an  able  minister  of  the  New  Testament.. 


79 

9.  Rev.  Geo.  P.  VanWyck  is  a  native  of  Bloomingburgh, 
was  educated  at  New  Brunswick,  1840  and  1843,  licensed 
August  1,  1843,  ordained  and  installed  pastor  at  Port  Jervis, 
February  28,  1844,  and  dismissed  May  19,  1852.  Mr.  Van- 
Wyck is  now  Chaplain  in  the  U.  S.  Army. 

10.  Cornelius  D.  El  tinge,  son  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Eltinge,  was 
born  at  Port  eJervis,  and  graduated  at  New  Brunswick  in 
1844  and  1848.  He  was  licensed  August  1,  1848.  He  was 
installed  at  Fallsburgh,  October  7,  1851,  and  dismissed  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1853.  He  is  now  engaged  in  business  in  the  State  of 
Illinois. 

11.  Laurence  L.  Comfort  is  a  native  of  Montgomery,  grad- 
uated at  Union  College  in  the  class  of  1848,  and  at  the  Sem- 
inary at  New  Brunswick  in  1851.  He  was  licensed  August 
5,  1851,  was  jiastor  at  Whitehouse,  N.  J.,  from  1852  to  1854, 
was  installed  at  New  Hurley,  November  2,  1854,  dismissed 
A})ril  18,  1871,  was  abroad  in  pursuit  of  health  for  a  year, 
and  was  installed  pastor  of  the  Berea  church,  September  17, 
1872. 

12.  Rev.  John  Van  Vleck  was  a  native  of  Shawanirunk. 
graduated  at  New  Brunswick  in  course,  1852  and  1855.  He 
was  licensed  August  21,  1865,  and  served  from  1855  to  1859 
with  distinguished  success  as  Principal  of  Holland  Academy, 
From  1859  to  1862  he  was  Principal"of  the  Academv  in  Kinir- 
ston,  N.  Y.  September  2,  1862,  he  was  installed  pastor  at 
Napanuch,  and  September  9th,  at  Kerhonkson.  He  retain- 
ed the  pastorate  of  the  two  churches  till  April  20,  1864,  when 
his  broken  health  rendered  the  necessary  labor  more  than  he 
could  discharge.  During  the  ensuing  year  he  gradually  de- 
clined till  at  midnight,  March  14,  1865,  he  fell  asleep.  Mr. 
VanVleck  was  a  ri[)e  scholar,  a  deep  thinker,  an  excellent 
sermnnizer,  a  faithful  pastor,  and  a  devout  christian.  Viewed 
from  our  human  stand-i)oint,  the  church  millitant  suffered  a 
sore  loss  in  his  transferral. 

13.  Josiah  Jansen  was  a  native   of  Wawarsing.     He    was 


80 

graduated  at  New  Brunswick  in  1856  and  1859,  licensed  May 
26,  1859.  For  a  year  he  reinairied  unsettled  preaching  as 
health  and  opportunity  allowed.  In  1861,  he  was  ordained 
and  installed  pastor  of  New  Concord,  Columbia. County,  N, 
Y.,  and  in  1864,  resigned  and  went  to  his  father's  house  to  die. 
He  lingered  a  few  weeks  and  then  expired.  He  died  as  he  had 
lived  a  man,  full  of  faith  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  was 
well  equipped  whether  for  living  or  dying. 

14.  Rufus  M.  Stanbrough  is  a  native  of  Newbnrgh.  He 
finished  his  educational  course  at  New  Brunswick  in  1858 
and  1861,  was  licensed  May  28,  1861,  ordained  and  installed 
over  the  Churches  of  Manheim  and  Indian  Castle  soon  after, 
and  remains  there  still. 

15.  J.  Kelley  Rhinehard  is  a  native  of  Shawangunk,  was 
graduated  at  New  Brunswick  in  1859  and  1861,  and  licensed 
May  27,  1862,  and  the  same  j^ear  was  ordained  and  installed 
pastor  at  Roxbury,  Delaware  County,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remain- 
ed till  1873,  when  he  was  settled  over  the  Church  of  Prince- 
town  in  the  Chassis  of  Schoharie. 

16.  Louis  H.  Bahler  was  a  native  af  Holland,  gi-aduated  at 
New  Brunswick  in  1864  and  1867,  was  licensed  June  25,  1867, 
and  ordained  and  installed  over  the  Church  of  Coeymans  in 
the  same  year. 


f 


PHOTOMOUNT 
PAMPHLET  BINDER 

6AY4.OR0  BROS.  Im^ 
9yM«u««,  N.  Y. 


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BX9519.06B4  . 

The  Classic  of  Orange  :  an  historical 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


